Sophisticated Living Indianapolis Sept/Oct 2024

{Indianapolis’ Finest}

SQUARE BANG UNICO

18K King Gold and black ceramic case. In-house UNICO chronograph move ment.

OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTS GROUP INDY CUSTOM POOLS

DESIGN • BUILD • NURTURE • SWIM

YEAGER-HANSON WEDDING

Written by Annie Mosbaugh Knapp / Photographed by Katherine Meier - Macy Ryan Photography

Ashley Yeager, of Tipp City, Ohio, and Dr. Donald Hansen, of Indianapolis, were married on June 1, 2024, at a beachside ceremony in Key West, Florida. Their parents are Cindi and Tracey Swackhamer and Bette and Jim Hanson. A highlight of their wedding weekend was a catamaran sunset sail at the rehearsal dinner, with all guests wearing white. The couple first met through their work; Ashley

is a dental hygienist at Fleming Family Dentistry and Donald is a dentist in his own private practice. Though the two were acquainted through the dental world, sparks didn’t fly until they bumped into each other at the grocery store one day. Three years later, Donald proposed at a picnic in Coxhall Gardens with a ring he designed himself at Reis-Nichols Jewelers. The couple resides in Carmel. sl

HUMMELS-STARK ENGAGEMENT

Written by Annie Mosbaugh Knapp / Photographed by Rebecca Shehorn Photography

Abby Hummels, of West Lafayette, and Collin Stark, of Indianapolis, were engaged on March 1, 2024, at Camp Tecumseh’s Kettlehut Chapel in Brookston, Indiana. The two met when they were both counselors at the camp. Collin decided to propose at the chapel because that was where each camp day started, and, at day’s end, where they secretly met to talk as their love story began. He worked with Reis-Nichols Jewelers to update a precious family

heirloom, the engagement ring worn by his grandmother and greatgrandmother, and surprised Abby with the proposal when she thought they were at the camp to attend a fundraiser. They currently live in Louisville, where Abby is a data analyst for NeilsenIQ and Collin is in his last year of residency in pediatric medicine. Their parents are Tanya and David Hummels and Michelle and Tim Stark; the wedding date is set for May 16, 2025. sl

THERIEN-FRIES ENGAGEMENT

Written by Annie Mosbaugh Knapp / Photographed by Michelle Dunne Photography

For Isabella Therien and Will Fries, both of New Jersey, a canceled 2020 college sports season unexpectedly led to love. Will, now the starting guard for the Indianapolis Colts, was playing football at Penn State, while Isabella was a member of the Loyola University Maryland women’s basketball team. With their colleges closed due to the pandemic, both found themselves in Philadelphia, where they were introduced by mutual friends, and, as Isabella recalls, “When you

know, you know.” They became engaged in Ocean City, New Jersey, where each grew up spending vacations at the shore; the wedding will take place on June 27, 2025, at the Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange, New Jersey. The couple currently resides in Zionsville, Indiana, where Isabella owns a general contracting company, but they plan to make New Jersey their permanent home. Their parents are Diana and Chris Therien, and Mauren and Harold Fries, all of New Jersey. sl

BINFORD-RODGERS WEDDING

Written by Annie Mosbaugh Knapp / Photographed by Kari Dodge - Sebrie Images Photography

proposal.

Paige Binford, of Zionsville, and David Rodgers, of Greenfield, were married on February 24, 2024, at the Pink Shell Resort in Florida. After meeting on a dating app, they became engaged while on vacation on the island of Roatan in a romantic sunset

The couple lives in Greenfield with their dog Winnie, where Paige is an events manager, and David is a general foreman electrician. Their parents are Vickie and Wilson Binford and Pam and David Rodgers. sl

PERRY-JOHNSON WEDDING

After 10 years together, Julie Perry, of Indianapolis, and Ryan Johnson, of Bloomfield, tied the knot on June 29, 2024, in a beautiful summer ceremony at The Garrison. They met through mutual friends, and became engaged on New Year’s Eve in 2020 while celebrating at home

Written by Kerstie Shaw / Photographed by Anna Clark Photography

with their dog, Teddy Lasso. Their parents are Jackie Scanlon and the late Robert L. Perry and Sue and David K. Johnson. The couple resides in Indianapolis, where Julie is the chief marketing and experience officer for Exclusive Yachts and Ryan is an attorney with Keller & Keller. sl

SHUCK-WATKINS WEDDING

Written by Annie Mosbaugh Knapp / Photographed by Yoan Mollemeyer - Cliché Photography

Emily Watkins, of Barrington, Illinois, and Evan Shuck, of Indianapolis, were married on May 18, 2024, at the Country Club of North Carolina. Emily is a buyer for Crate & Barrel and Evan is in sales for the logistics firm FitzMark. Their parents are Cheryl and Joe Watkins and Pam and Len Shuck. In a nod to Southern tradition, the couple did what is known as a “bourbon burial” to

ensure good weather on the wedding day–they buried a bottle of Maker’s Mark in the ground before their big day and dug it up during the wedding cocktail hour. The custom did its job and the couple and their guests enjoyed beautiful skies as they danced the night away to the Soul Psychedelique Orchestra. The couple now resides in Indianapolis. sl

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Photographed by: Sarah Browning

LIFELONG LEARNING STARTS HERE.

At Park Tudor, every day is a chance for your child to explore their passions. From state-of-the-art academics to athletics and fine arts, we’re dedicated to ensuring every student from junior kindergarten to 12th grade has a well-rounded education.

Choose Park Tudor to instill a love of learning that lasts.

THE ART OF WINE

Written by Jessica Pontius

At Daniel’s Vineyard in Geist, time seems to stand still, especially when golden hour transforms the Indiana landscape into a painter’s dream. Nestled on a sprawling 80 acres, with 22 acres of vines, this hidden gem offers visitors a front-row seat to breathtaking sunsets and skies filled with billowing clouds.

It’s here, among the rows of grapes and lush greenery, that you can find peace with a picnic, a bottle of wine, and your loved ones. Winemaker Blake Trobaugh’s signature Piquettes—Crush and Press—pair perfectly with the serene surroundings. Piquette is a curious creation; it’s almost on its way to becoming grappa, the famed Italian high-alcohol spirit made from leftover grape skins. Instead, Piquette takes a different path, using water and the leftover stems, skins, and seeds to create something else entirely—a low-alcohol (around 6%) drink that is a beautiful midway point between wine and hard seltzer. Think of it as a session wine, light and refreshing enough to sip all afternoon, but with a complexity that lingers on your palate.

Daniel’s Vineyard offers more than just great wines. It’s a lively social hub, with weekly events that make every visit memorable.

On Fridays, summer evenings are lively with concerts among the vines, where music lovers can dance with the setting sun as their backdrop. Weekends bring live music to the outdoor space, a perfect accompaniment to a casual afternoon of wine-tasting and charcuterie. Trivia Wednesdays are a chance to show off your smarts, while Thursdays pair BOGO bottles of wine with Bingo or Singo—a quirky musical twist on classic bingo that always draws a crowd.

When fall rolls around, Daniel’s transforms into a cozy retreat. Outdoor fireside rentals create the perfect setting for a crisp evening spent bundled up with a glass of your favorite vintage. For a more intimate experience, the picturesque greenhouses, adorned seasonally, provide a magical setting to share a bottle of wine while soaking up the rustic charm.

Daniel’s Vineyard is not just a winery; it’s a sanctuary, a community, and a destination for those seeking solace, adventure, and, of course, a great bottle of vino. sl

For more information, visit danielsvineyard.com

Barkeep Vodka, a new spirit from Huse Culinary, is created from Indiana corn using a patented pressure filtration system. It is distilled six times,

Photographed by Dave Pluimer

PUBLISHER

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From the Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

I’ve always been charmed by the Europeans, especially the Italians and the French, who look at late summer as a time to rest and recharge, basically taking the month of August off. Of course, I’ve never been tempted to follow suit; as a business owner, my work is ongoing. While I might be traveling for the magazine, I’m also always editing or writing or selling ads or doing the books…it never really stops. Don’t get me wrong–I’m certainly not complaining, and I absolutely love my job. Recently, however, inspired by my staff, I did something I haven’t done in maybe 20 years...I took an entire week off. My family and I had planned a visit to Palm Beach, and I intended, as usual, to work while we were there. With our executive editor away on a well-deserved holiday, I thought it would be best that I man the ship, so to speak. But then our associate publisher asked to take that Thursday and Friday off to make her equally befitting girls’ trip a four-day weekend. I was happy to say yes, and it occurred to me that maybe I should take a break too. After all, I realized, the work would always be there when I returned. With our daughter in college and our son finishing high school, I’ve certainly been more conscious of how precious our time together is. Now that their school breaks no longer line up, time together with the four of us–both at home and away–has become scarce. I know our family summer vacations will, sooner rather than later, become a memory as our kids grow up and begin careers and their own adult lives. But as the son of a father who has always had a vigorous work ethic, actually taking a break is easier said than done.

Throughout my childhood, my father preached the importance and value of hard work and illustrated it too, building a very successful construction business. Summers in my teens weren’t spent lounging by the pool or off at summer camp. Rather, I spent mine working for my dad at his various developments six or even seven days a week, doing things like planting shrubs and trees, painting carports, or laying railroad ties (I still remember the burn of creosote on my skin on those 90-degree days). And I wouldn’t trade it for anything…I know all of that has certainly given me a strong work ethic and has helped me to become the person I am today. But maybe it is possible for an old dog to learn new tricks, and I realized that the world wouldn’t necessarily fall apart if I took a few days off to focus on my family.

And guess what? I’ve never been so present and engaged on vacation. We were at our favorite place to get away as a family: Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa. My wife and I have been staying there since it opened. It’s where we were married and later began taking our children. The staff all know us and have watched our family grow, and we’ve gotten to know them as well; when they say, “welcome home!”, it feels like we are home. For a week, I rarely checked or sent email. I was on my phone a lot–to take selfies with my wife and the kids. In fact, I’ve never taken so many, but I also didn’t post anything or even so much as look at social media. I was just husband and dad. My wife and I spent most of one day in the spa, pampering ourselves; we had a date at our favorite French restaurant on the island, and we all “lived” in the pool and went to the beach most days. We had dinner as a family every night except for our date night (our kids were probably ready to ditch us by then anyway). I’d tell you we had breakfast together every morning too, but that would have required the kids waking up before noon. But they eventually filed down to the Club Lounge and we had brunch...or lunch. Our daughter and I spent time together, going to the fitness center and even walking on the beach, holding hands like we used to do when she was little. Our son and I tossed a foam football in the pool like always, but without my having to hop out to take a call. The four of us played golf and tennis–really, it was the ideal family getaway, and a lot like old times, with one big difference–I was fully present and didn’t work. And of course, everything was still there when I got back, right where I’d left it. Nothing fell apart. But for one week, our family was focused on each other–certainly, a vacation to remember.

Jeffrey Cohen jeff@slmag.net

SUCH GREAT HEIGHTS

Situated at the gateway to the Bavarian Alps, Althoff Seehotel Überfahrt is a luxurious home for visitors to the "Hamptons of Germany."

Written by Bridget Williams / Photos courtesy Althoff Hotels

I could nearly hear the gears grinding as my brain began firing on all cylinders to etch a core memory as I walked along the shore of Lake Tegernsee in Rottach-Egern, about 31 miles north of Munich, Germany, this past spring. With rising temperatures signaling that winter's icy grip had finally loosened but still cool enough that a confectionery dusting of snow still clung to the highest alpine peaks, people (and their four-legged friends) were out in droves, strolling, sipping, paddling, dining, and smiling as they basked in the warmth of the sun's pinky promise that summer was rounding the corner.

With stringent building codes creating a cohesive Bavarian storybook scene, complete with folksy painted shutters and murals on the whitewashed building exteriors, a town center chock-full of upscale shopping and dining, a plethora of luxury cars lining the streets, and some of the priciest real estate in the country, this area is frequently called "The Hamptons of Germany." My steps were made even springier knowing that my accommodations—a dreamy two-

story lakefront Maisonette Suite in an iconic 5-star hotel—meant I could play this glorious day on repeat for the duration of my stay.

I must admit that my fellow travelers and I giggled like elementary schoolers when we pulled up to the hotel and spied the signage with the hotel's full name—Althoff Seehotel Überfahrt— although I am confident we weren't the first or the last Americans to do so. Überfahrt, we learned, means "crossing," a nod to the resort's location at the narrowest part of the lake, which has made it a vital boat crossing from the 15th century onward. At over 200 feet deep, the four-mile-long Lake Tegernsee, one of the cleanest in Bavaria, is a remnant of a long-gone Ice Age glacier. Its crystal-clear water (due in part to a ban on motorized watercraft) is fed by five rivers and morphs into a beguiling shade of "Tiffany Blue" during summer. Although the lake doesn't freeze over in winter, the water temperature rarely eclipses the seventy-degree mark, making a dip particularly refreshing in summer.

Althoff Seehotel Überfahrt is situated directly on Lake Tegernsee. At over 200 feet deep, the four-mile-long lake, one of the cleanest in Bavaria, is a remnant of a long-gone Ice Age glacier.

The Althoff Seehotel Überfahrt, a sprawling resort embraced by the lake on two sides and with mountain views all around, has proudly flown the Althoff flag for the past 15 years. The Althoff Hotel group, a Cologne-based business founded in the mid1980s by self-made hoteliers Thomas H. Althoff and his wife Elke Diefenbach-Althoff, is known for its three-pillar corporate philosophy that reflects the founders' passions: fine dining, architecture and interior accoutrements, and service.

Upon arrival, guests are greeted beneath a glass portico that melds into a green roof, a dramatic installation that preserves unobstructed lake views from inside the lobby. Public spaces, including five restaurants and the 176 rooms and suites, display ethereal elegance with a calming and quiet color palette enlivened through tactile details.

My third-floor, two-story suite was a stunner. Piped-in classical music in the vestibule made me feel like I was being welcomed like royalty. A first floor living room opened to a large terrace overlooking the lake and the nearby church of St. Lawrence, whose pointed belltower dominates the cityscape and provides a lovely soundtrack throughout the day. At the top of the stairs in my room, an enclosed solarium (ideal for sunrise yoga), provided access to another walled terrace with enchanting Bavarian Alps views and an alfresco dining area, making it easy to enjoy the crisp mountain air without lacing up your hiking boots. A highlight of the sprawling

bathroom, outfitted in Rojo Alicante marble, was the Swarovski "starry sky" light installation above the tub that reminded me of the starlight headliner in a Rolls-Royce.

During my visit, the hotel had just ended a ten-year run with a 3 Michelin-starred chef at the helm of its fine dining offering, Restaurant Überfahrt. Before the announcement that Cornelia Fischer, a native of Lower Franconia, would take the helm as Executive Chef, Restaurant Überfahrt hosted a series of pop-up dinners with prominent-starred German chefs. The restaurant's interior was enchanting, with sumptuous channel upholstered walls in deer leather (from which the finest Lederhosen are crafted) and dreamscape-like black and white Lake Tegernsee photographs.

Charismatic and prominent German celebrity chef Alexander Hermann was in the kitchen during our visit, serving a menu highlighting the "greatest hits" from his restaurants, including two Michelin-starred Aura by Alexander Herrmann & Tobias Bätz. Amply demonstrating his made-for-television looks and personality, Hermann had the German clientele enrapt when he emerged from the kitchen to describe each course. If this was just a placeholder experience, I can only imagine the fine dining fête that Fischer, who honed her skills at some of the finest restaurants in Germany and Switzerland and was named "Female Chef of the Year 2024" by Schlemmer Atlas, a preeminent German gourmet guide, will provide.

The focal point of Restaurant Bayernstube is a blue-and-white tiled kachelöfen, a type of masonry heater used in this area for centuries.

A locally sourced in-suite snack, including Herzoglich Bayerisches beer, brewed on the shores of Lake Tegernsee since Benedictine monks founded the distillery in 1050.

You can bring a taste of Tegernsee home by attending a class in the hotel's "Genusswerkstatt," an on-site cooking school.

Fine dining is a cornerstone of the Althoff Hotel experience.

We traveled to Germany in style and comfort, departing from NYC's JFK airport aboard Condor's new A330neo. While the aircraft's planet-friendliness, cabin quietness, and Condor's top-drawer lie-flat Business Class experience are undoubtedly attention-grabbing, it's their fleet's lively and colorful beach umbrella-style striped paint job that turns heads on the runway. I arrived rested, well-fed, and ready to commence an ambitious itinerary (condor.com)

A horse-drawn carriage through the surrounding area with champagne in hand is an elegantly easy way to enjoy the landscape.

Photo of a lakeview room by Jannis Hagels.

A Spa Suite

Memorable dining moments aren't limited to the fine dining restaurant, as I learned at breakfast on my first full day. The buffetstyle spread, complete with live cooking stations, was a sight to behold. And, since I've convinced myself that calories consumed in Europe are calculated differently from those stateside, I dove head-first into a late lunch replete with authentic Italian cuisine at Il Barcaiolo (awarded 2 toques from French restaurant guide Gault et Millau). The chef, who hails from Lake Como, travels to Italy twice a month to source staples for the kitchen, and it shows.

I also went all-in for an authentic Bavarian feast at Restaurant Bayernstube, donning a dirndl I procured from a shop in the town center earlier that day. The focal point of the dining room is a blue-and-white tiled kachelöfen, a type of masonry heater used in this area for centuries. We washed down our "Bavarian mezé" of 12 vegetable side dishes accompanied by meat and cheese fondue with Herzoglich Bayerisches beer, brewed on the shores of Lake Tegernsee since Benedictine monks founded the distillery in 1050.

You can bring a taste of Tegernsee home by attending a class in the hotel's "Genusswerkstatt," a cooking school that’s operates from a freestanding contemporary glass box with a rustic interior and topof-the-line GAGGENAU appliances.

Althoff Seehotel Überfahrt's spa and fitness offerings are comprehensive. The 28m indoor pool is a piscine palace outfitted with enough marble to rival a Roman bath. Elke Diefenbach-Althoff devised the holistic treatments for the 4 elements spa, which are carried out in spacious, light-filled, garden-facing rooms.

As the gateway to the Alps, the area is a haven for hikers, including hut-to-hut hikes. The Tegernseer Hütte trek, a nearly 6-mile route with 2,900 feet of elevation gain, is considered the pinnacle experience—and not for the faint of heart). An easier option for chasing a mountain high is the Wallbergbahn gondola. In winter, the lift provides access to Germany's longest and most challenging natural sledding run. A horse-drawn carriage through the surrounding area with champagne in hand is an elegantly easy way to enjoy the landscape. With such an expansive playground at your fingertips, recreation opportunities are limited only by guests' imagination. While Easter through October is considered high season, a robust schedule of annual events makes the area ideal for a visit any time of year. A complete calendar of area events can be found at tegernsee.com/en/events. So, whether you choose winter schussing or summer sipping at the Althoff Seehotel Überfahrt's lakefront Dom Pérignon bar, a haute Heidi experience awaits sl For more information visit althoffcollection.com/en/althoff-seehotel-ueberfahrt/the-hotel.

The balcony of the Maisonette Suite provides an unobstructed view of the storybook setting.

Compiled by Bridget Williams

PURPLE REIGN

Picchiotti Amethyst & Diamond Necklace ($41,200). Available through Moyer Fine Jewelers in Indianapolis, Clarkson Jewelers in St. Louis and gemellajewels.com. Verragio Small Orb Pendant ($3,500). Available through Genesis Diamonds in Nashville and verragio.com. Assael Tahitian Pearl and Amethyst Ring. Inquire at Diamond Cellar in Columbus & Nashville and assael.com. Buddha Mama Amethyst Wrap Ring (buddhamama.com). Walters Faith OC X WF Amethyst Band ($2,100; waltersfaith.com). Silvia Furmanovich bouquet-shaped earrings woven with horse mane accented by diamonds, sapphires, and finished with 18k rose gold (silviafurmanovich.com). Eden Presley Large Pop Rock Studs ($5,900). Available through Moyer Fine Jewelers in Indianapolis and edenpresley.com. Basak Baykal Plumeria Diamond and Amethyst Earrings ($7,460; basakbaykal.co.uk). Roberto Coin Venetian Princess Purple Titanium Earrings ($4,300). Available through Reis-Nichols Jewelers in Indianapolis, Davis Jewelers in Louisville, Diamond Cellar in Nashville, Simons Jewelers in St. Louis and robertocoin.com. Vram Chrona Demi Ring ($12,600; vramjewelry.com). Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Amethyst Necklace from Albarré Jewelry ($4,125; albarre.com). Maison Mellerio Jardin Pierreries Necklace ($207,570; us.mellerio.fr). Clara Chehab Halo Necklace ($4,545; clarachehab.com). Zydo Amethyst Stretch Bracelet ($12,500). Available through Moyer Fine Jewelers in Indianapolis and zydo.com.

ON CLOUD WINE

Perched high above Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Grange Estate is the famed wine region’s newest luxury lodging option.

Written by Bridget Williams

Already an early riser, on the first morning of my trip to Oregon's Willamette Valley, I was surprised to see dawn's first light peeking through the drapery in my suite at Grange Estate, a charming nine-room inn that opened in late June. Always down to catch the sunrise, I decamped to the sectional in the living room, where I sat gob-smacked for the next twenty minutes as the sun slowly emerged from behind the Cascade Range, illuminating the snowcapped peak of Mount Hood.

A primo location nearly 1,000 feet above 100 acres of vineyards is just one of the many covetable attributes of Dundee Hill's newest lodging option, available exclusively to members of the Foley Food & Wine Society (free to join at foleyfoodandwinesociety.com). As a "serial acquirer," billionaire businessman Bill Foley's foray into the wine world began in 1996 when he and his wife Carol purchased 1,000 acres in Santa Barbara County, California, and established Foley Family Wines. Since then, the industry dabblers have become dominant, acquiring more than 20 prestige wineries from the West

Coast to New Zealand and quickly closing in on a company goal of reaching a cumulative volume of 2 million cases.

Also under the Foley Entertainment Group umbrella is a growing portfolio of hotels and restaurants, including Hotel Les Mars in Healdsburg, CA; Farmhouse Inn in Forestville, CA; Hotel Californian and Blackbird restaurant in Santa Barbara, CA; Whitefish Mountain in Whitefish, MT; Wharekauhau Country Estate in Palliser Bay, New Zealand; and MacArthur Place in Sonoma, CA. Members of the company's Food & Wine Society can use loyalty points to access exclusive experiences and special events.

Grange Estate shares the hilltop with a handsome multipurpose building in the same architectural style, which houses the tasting room for The Four Graces Winery, Anthology tasting experience, and multiple private event spaces. It is also home to the well-established and Tuscan-inspired Black Walnut Inn & Vineyard, whose breakfast room, gym, and public spaces are available to guests of Grange Estate.

Sunrise view from the Jory Suite Photo by Bridget Williams

The Four Graces tasting room shares the space with the open kitchen of Anthology restaurant.

Games and books are available for guests’ use in the first floor gathering area of The Grange Estate.

Living room in the Jory Suite

Photo by Aubrie LaGault

A hand-crafted black walnut headboard is a focal point of the Aeolus room.

Photo by Aubrie LeGault

Second-floor Laurelwood Suite

Photo by Aubrie LeGault

Photo by Aubrie LeGault

Designed by Portland-based architecture firm Urban Patterns and boasting a modern farmhouse vibe, each of Grange Estate's guestrooms presents a unique melding of contemporary styling, artisan-made furniture, artwork with a sense of place, and a healthy dose of nostalgia. The cumulative effect creates a homelike appeal, beginning in the first-floor common area with its plethora of intentional coffee table books, board games, and seating areas that inspire an atmosphere of conviviality.

If your stay occurs Thursday through Sunday, don't miss the communal culinary extravaganza offered twice nightly at Anthology. We were offered a glass of Foley Family Brut, made following the Méthode Champenoise, at arrival. As a warmup to Executive Chef Chase Williams' hyper-seasonal menu, a server presented a silver tray laden with carrots appearing as if they'd been dipped in white chocolate. The deceptively simple presentation belied a complex layering of ingredients that packed a punch. We couldn't wait for the eight courses comprising the "Gather & Preserve" menu to follow. With just 14 seats and an open kitchen, Anthology is the realization of the affable Williams' long-held dream. The James Beardnominated chef, who joined the Black Walnut team in 2018, works

in tandem with long-time collaborator Zack Ehrlich. They take turns explaining each dish, accompanied by a hand-drawn menu card created by Williams. At the end of the meal, the cards are gathered into a little folio that becomes a unique keepsake of the evening.

The duo changes the menu at Anthology every two months. Perfectly paced and expertly accompanied by wines culled from the Foley portfolio and beyond, course after beautiful course showcased what happens when culinary prowess intersects with fond childhood memories. While my husband gushed over the "Cherries and Duck," I was partial to "Farmer's Choice." A throwback to the first item Chef Chase put on the breakfast menu at Black Walnut, I found it hard to believe that so much flavor—truffled bearnaise, maple lardon bacon, Fresno chili, and chives— could be so harmoniously contained within the confines of a hollowed out eggshell. Every detail, from river rock vessels sourced in Denmark to substantial wineglass bowls seeming to defy physics perched atop delicate, slim stems, contributed to the specialness of the evening, making it much more than just a meal.

Outside of Anthology, guests of Grange Estate, Black Walnut, and The Four Graces can experience Williams and Ehrlich's cuisine.

Breakfast room at The Grange Estate

A walk-behind waterfall on the Trail of Ten Falls in Silver Falls State Park

Photo by Bridget Williams

Pinot tasting in the private tasting room at The Four Graces

Photo by Aubrie LeGault Farmer’s Choice at Anthology

Our farm-fresh breakfast each morning provided an ideal way to fortify ourselves for busy days spent hiking and wine tasting. In the Four Graces tasting room, akin to a modern cathedral for oenophiles, the Sip & Savor Experience offers a generous board of seasonal bites to explore The Four Graces' Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs. While you're there, check out the covetable walnut wine shelving in the private tasting room, a stunning handmade table of locally sourced black walnut surrounded by refurbished chairs from Princeton Law School in a "crow's nest" event room, and a wine wall that serves as a "greatest hits" display from the entirety of the Foley portfolio.

The Dundee Hills AVA is regarded as the epicenter of Oregon Pinot Noir. It's one of 12 American Viticultural Areas in the Willamette Valley, boasting over 900 wineries. Our summertime visit was perfectly (or imperfectly) timed with an extreme heatwave, meaning that we couldn't use Grange Estate's cozy fire pits and woolen blankets, and making tasting copious amounts of pinot less palatable. However, we're not that easily discouraged, so in addition to our tasting at The Four Graces, we made time to visit a few of our favorite winemakers, including the living room tasting room in the home of Scott and Denise Flora

at Native Flora (nativeflora.com); the "urban" tasting room at Purple Hands (purplehandswine.com) and the iconic Red Barn tasting room at Arterberry Maresh (mareshredbarn.com).

We headed a little over an hour west to Cannon Beach to find respite from the heat. After a long and slightly chilly stroll on the broad four-mile-long beach, which took us past the iconic Haystack Rock where Tufted Puffins were nesting, we perused the art galleries and farmer's market in the small beachfront town before tackling the Clatsop Loop Trail in Ecola State Park. Further south, Depoe Bay is a hotspot for whale watching, with a designated Whale Watching Center equipped with binoculars and volunteers on hand to answer questions. Also roughly an hour away southeast of Dundee is Silver Falls State Park, Oregon's largest state park. At just under nine miles, its Trail of Ten Falls passes ten waterfalls, four of which you can walk behind. Every direction we traveled offered super scenic drives (and ample roadside stands to pick up seasonal produce, including hazelnuts, marionberries, and lavender ), making Grange Estate an ideal homebase for exploring Oregon's diverse landscapes. sl

For more information about The Grange Dundee Hills visit foleywinesdundeehills.com.

Executive Chef Chase Williams

Photo by Aubrie LeGault

Chef Zack Ehrlich. Photo by Aubrie LeGault

Part of the landscaping crew at Native Flora

Photo by Bridget Williams

You can pick your own bouquet at Wayward Winds lavender farm in the Dundee Hills.

Photo by Bridget Williams

FALL BACK

New timepieces to mark the end of Daylight Saving Time in style

Compiled by Bridget Williams

This page, clockwise from top left: Breitling Chronomat B01 42 a limited-edition with a Rouleaux-inspired rubber strap and new green colorway created in collaboration with NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo ($8,550). Available through Richter & Phillips in Cincinnati, Moyer Fine Jewelers and Reis-Nichols in Indianapolis, Clarkson Jewelers in St. Louis and breitling.com. The Ferragamo Crystal ($1,150; ferragamo.com). Versace Reve ($1,250; Versace.com). Rolex Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller 42mm in 18ct Everose gold with calibre 9002 movement ($54,000). Available through Richters & Phillips Jewelers in Cincinnati, Reis-Nichols Jewelers in Indianapolis, Davis Jewelers in Louisville, Diamond Cellar in Nashville, Simons and Clarkson Jewelers in St. Louis, and rolex.com. Louis Vuitton Escale, Automatic, 40.5mm, in platinum with diamonds ($178,000; us.louisvuitton.com). Hublot Square Bang Unico All Black Diamonds ($31,800). Available through Moyer Fine Jewelers in Indianapolis and hublot.com. The Master Lighter Franck Muller & S.T. Dupont is the result of more than two years of development (price upon request; franckmuller.com). Yvonne Léon's Bague L’Horloge merges the delicate beauty of fine jewelry with the precision and functionality of high-quality watchmaking ($20,775; yvonneleon.com/en). Bell & Ross BR03 Diver Full Lum with a 54 hour power reserve and a dial cocered entirely in Super-LumiNova ($5,400). The OMEGA Seamaster 41mm Aqua Terra ($6,300). Available through Richter & Phillips Jewelers in Cincinnati, Moyer Fine Jewelers in Indianapolis, and omegawatches.com. SINTESI, the brand collection from Pininfarina Hybrid Smartwatches by Globics ($500; pininfarina-hybridwatchbyglobics.com). Opposite page: Hungarian model and Longines ambassador Barbara Palvin wearing the new 34mm CONQUEST with a snailed pastel-blue sunray dial and stainless steel case and strap ($2.075). Available through Richter & Phillips Jewelers in Cincinnati, Moyer Fine Jewelers in Indianapolis, Davis Jewelers in Louisville and longines.com. Image courtesy of Longines.

LE ROYAL TREATMENT

It’s easy to adjust to palace life at Le Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris

Written by Bridget Williams / Photos courtesy of Le Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris

"These days, you eat with your phone first," said pastry chef and entrepreneur Yazid Ichemrahen during a tasting of his sweetest hits at Le Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris, where he was recently tapped to lead the pastry and dessert program. With 1.6 million Instagram followers, the thirty-something, who, at the tender age of 22, became the youngest chef to be named a World Pastry Champion, knows a thing or two about appealing visuals, backed up by a unique approach that's lighter on sugar and heavy on raw ingredients. "By adhering to a single rule—no more than three ingredients and three textures in any single dessert—a recipe for happiness emerges," said Ichemrahen.

Under Ichemrahen's direction, the dessert course at each of Le Royal Monceau's dining outposts becomes an event, with a member of the pastry team finishing off creations tableside. This elevation brings the last course up to par with first impressions

upon entering the whimsical and wonderful Palace Hotel, located in Paris' 8th arrondissement. While just a stone's throw from the Arc de Triomphe, the hotel feels worlds away within a chic residential area notable for the charming Parc Monceau (established three years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence).

Terrifically theatrical and taking cues from the 1940s and onwards, the Philippe Starck-orchestrated interiors in public spaces and the 149 guestrooms and suites are heavily focused on contemporary art and mirrored surfaces, with generous helpings of crystal, application of grand scale, and the unexpected, such as the trippy floor-to-ceiling stripes in the guest room corridors. A product of the roaring Twenties, Le Royal Monceau retains the vanguard spirit of the era, with halls once roamed by Josephine Baker and Ernest Hemingway reimagined by Starck, a Parisian native, through a lens of contemporary joie de vivre.

Il Carpaccio’s main dining room, set within a greenhouse space framed by a manicured garden, is a feast for the senses even before the first plate arrives. Photo by The Travel Buds.

Presidential Suite

Photo by Vincent Leroux

Photo by Patrick Locqueneux

Prestique Suite

Photo by Patrick Locqueneux

Presidential Suite.

Photo by Zoe Fidji

Royal Monceau Suite bathroom

Photo by Patrick Locqueneux

Ray Charles Suite

Photo by Patrick Locqueneux

Pastry chef and entrepreneur Yazid Ichemrahen in the hotel’s smoking room

Le Bar Long Photo by The Travel Buds

Dome pendant lights, nearly the diameter of the round tables below, ring the perimeter of Matsuhisa Paris, Chef Nobu Matsuhisa's first Matsuhisa restaurant in France.

Chefs Oliver Piras & Alessandra Del Favero of the Michelin-starred Il Carpaccio

Photo by The Travel Buds

The lobby's monumental staircase, with walls sheathed in mirrors, is reminiscent of Coco Chanel's famed escalier connecting her second-floor apartment at 31 Rue Cambon with her boutique below. An installation of massive crystal chandeliers, part of the hotel's inventory since it opened and hung at varying heights, amplifies the drama. The first time I took the stairs up to my room, I was caught off guard by Russian artist Nikolay Polissky's installation of 15 life-sized wooden elk and deer arrayed on the first landing.

Views from the dormer windows of my 7th-floor junior suite framed what I fancied as my ideal dream apartment, complete with a terrace, on the same floor in a Hausmann building across the street. My suite's interior was a beguiling mix of blonde wood paneling, camel-colored leather furniture, and otherworldly blown glass sconces and table lamps (including one with a purposely off-kilter shade that I tried to straighten more than once). While Versailles has its Hall of Mirrors, I enjoyed the funhouse effect created by a fully mirrored closet and bathroom. Perfect natural light projectors, leaning floor mirrors at either end of the room concealed televisions. Hung next to the bed in every room is a copy of a different love letter culled from the hundreds Jean Cocteau wrote to his beloved Jeannot (Jean Marais).

Hoping to refresh my jet-lagged complexion, I headed straight to the Clarins & myBlend Spa shortly after check-in for ninety minutes of pure bliss via a myBlend facial. The indulgent treatment included donning a MyLedMask (which, showing my age, made me think of Billy Joel's The Stranger album cover). I returned to the spa facilities several times during my stay to sweat it out in the hammam, sauna, and sprawling fitness center, spread out over four rooms and encompassing a private Thai Boxing

studio and one room entirely dedicated to Pilates with the latest Reformer and Cadillac machines.

The hotel's Le Bar Long is the spot for an elevated apéro among the local chic set. Starck conceived the illuminated long bar to switch up the repetitive face-to-face layout between patrons and a bartender moving behind a bar. A nearby smoking room, dramatically rendered in red from floor to ceiling, is said to represent Starck's vision of hell (which is far chicer than I would have imagined).

While it may be in the city's heart, Le Royal Monceau's culinary program pulls from a global playbook, partnering with some of the world's most famous chefs for its fine dining experiences. Matsuhisa Paris is Chef Nobu Matsuhisa's first Matsuhisa restaurant in France. In the high-ceilinged space, dome pendant lights, nearly the diameter of the round tables below, ring the perimeter. Stéphane Calais' fresco mural, Jardin à la Française, adorns the ceiling. During breakfast, the same space becomes La Cuisine, where chef Norihisa Semboshi presides over a sumptuous breakfast buffet that takes it up a notch during Royal Sunday Brunch, an impressive display of global cuisine and French supremacy in the pastry arts.

It's hard to imagine the painstaking hours it took for craftsman Thomas Boog to create the fresco of hand-glued shells on the walls within Il Carpaccio. The main dining room, set within a greenhouse space framed by a manicured garden, is a feast for the senses even before the first plate arrives. Within six months of reopening in 2022, the restaurant, a collaboration with the three-star Da Vittorio in Lombardy, Italy, and chefs Oliver Piras and Alessandra Del Favero, received a Michelin Star. Put your experience in the hands of the chef and sommelier for their six-course tasting menu and thank me later.

The Philippe Starck-orchestrated interiors in public spaces and the 149 guestrooms and suites are heavily focused on the unexpected, such as the trippy floor-to-ceiling stripes in the guest room corridors.

and inspiration for

My visit this past spring was a tad too early to enjoy the leafy respite offered by the courtyard of La Terrasse, where tables from Matsuhisa Paris and Il Carpaccio spill out into the garden. At the center, a clear-bottomed cocktail pool provides a glimpse of swimmers in the subterranean spa pool, one of the largest indoor pools in the city.

In a city with no shortage of luxury hotels, Le Royal Monceau differentiates itself from its peers with scores of unique guest experiences. Paramount among these is a dedicated, in-house Art Concierge, a world first in a luxury hotel, who can devise custom art-centric itineraries and tailored visits of the hotel's private collection, comprised of more than 300 pieces.

Rain scuttled plans for "Fleur Royale," a plein-air watercolor experience with Mireille Blanc and Eva Nielsen, professional artists and instructors at the Académie des Beaux-arts, so the concierge pivoted and moved us as close to the outdoors as possible without getting wet: the dining room at Il Carpaccio. Despite none of us in our group having an artistic background, supportive guidance from the instructors and a bit of liquid encouragement had us creating mini masterpieces that became a highly personal souvenir.

A port tasting with Italian-born sommelier Gabriele Del Carlo in the living room of the Ray Charles suite is one of many unique

food and beverage experiences available to Le Royal Monceau guests. Charles and Arlette Kotchounian, his French paramour photographer, were Le Royal Monceau regulars. Kotchounian's photographs of the couple during their visits add an aura of intimacy to the suite, a repository for Paris' only in-suite Pleyel grand piano (a professional pianist can be booked upon request).

Del Carlo, named Italy's best sommelier in 2011 and 2017, has facilitated a $1 million investment in expanding the wine list since his arrival. His focus on Vintage Port is unique in the city; Le Royal Monceau is the only hotel offering Quinta do Noval Nacional Vintage Port by the glass, an experience Del Carlo likens to being able to buy a single pour of Burgundy's Romanée-Conti.

During a dessert demonstration with Ichemrahen, a trio of simple but very high-quality ingredients, including chocolate sourced from Vietnam, seemed to magically coalesce into the most decadent mousse. As Ichemrahen deftly turned the spatula, we gleaned some insight into why this contemporary culinary luminary finds a kindred spirit in a nearly one-hundred-year-old palace hotel: "We have a similar mindset, focused on luxury and forward-thinking," he said. sl

For more information about Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris visit leroyalmonceau.com.

Stéphane Calais' fresque mural, Jardin à la Française, adorns the ceiling in the dining room of Matsuhisa Paris.

Photo by Bridget Williams

Beef carpaccio with black trufle is a signature dish at Il Carpaccio.

Photo by The Travel Buds

Tools

“Fleur Royale," a plein-air watercolor experience

DO / Before a special night out, take a short stroll across the street from the Le Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris to Patrick & Marcel Coiffure (6 Rue Dupont des Loges) for a "brushing," the French term for a blowout. The fabulously coiffed duo recently posted their red-carpet pics from the Cannes Film Festival on their Instagram account, @patrickandmarcel.

EAT / For an authentic French brasserie experience without pretense, head to Le Bon Georges in the 9th arrondissement (lebongeorges.paris)

Maxim's de Paris, founded in 1893, enjoyed a long run at the pinnacle of fashionable restaurants. When I last visited in 2016, the shine on its famous Art Deco interiors has dimmed, with unenthusiastic staff delivering an expensively underwhelming experience. The landmark's new owners unveiled a refreshed Maxim’s earlier this year, and its new hauteness lived up to the hype, with palpable energy, a preponderance of leggy models seated around the tables, live music, and solid classic French cuisine. (restaurant-maxims.com)

SEE / Surrealism: The Centenary Exhibition – Center Pompidou

The centenary exhibition, centering around poet André Breton's Manifesto of Surrealism , published in 1924 and on loan from the Bibliothèque nationale de France, brings together works by Surrealism's leading artists, such as Salvador Dali, René Magritte, Dorothea Tanning, Tatsuo Ikeda, Leonora Carrington, Max Ernst, Helen Lundeberg, and Joan Miro. (centrepompidou.fr/en/)

Desserts at each of Le Royal Monceau’s dining outlets are finished tableside by a member of the pastry team.

Photo by Bridget Williams

A port tasting with Italianborn sommelier Gabriele Del Carlo in the living room of the Ray Charles suite is one of many unique food and beverage experiences available to Le Royal Monceau guests.

Le Bon Georges offers an authentic brasserie experience without pretense.

Photo by Bridget Williams

HIP TO BE

SQUARE

Compiled by Bridget Williams

This page, clockwise from top left: Ashaha Ghilas ring ($6,638; ashaha.com). David Yurman Sculpted Cable Square Locket ($1,975). Available through Moyer Fine Jewelers and ReisNichols Jewelers in Indianapolis, Davis Jewelers in Louisville and davidyurman.com. Assael Dendritic agate, natural pearl, coral and garnet brooch. Inquire at Diamond Cellar in Columbus & Nashville and assael.com. Susana Martins The Cube Ring in Carmine ($3,663; susanamartins.com). Nouvel Heritage Dinner Date Mood Ring ($2,650). Available through Reis-Nichols Jewelers in Indianapolis, Ylang Ylang Jewelers in St. Louis and us.nouvelheritage.com. Ritique by Ritika Atwal Emerald & Diamond Line Drop Earrings ($9,290; ritique.com). Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Frame Pendant from Bondeye Jewelry ($490; bondeyejewelry.com). Ray Griffiths Crownwork Square Link Bracelet ($7,645; raygriffiths.com). Lugano rough cut diamond and ceramic hoop earrings (luganodiamonds.com). Ojal Ring from Modern Moghul ($5,400; modernmoghul.com). Bellari Anastasia Collection bangle ($11,695), Available through Richter & Phillips in Cincinnati and bellarriconcierge.com. IVI Los Angeles Mini Aurelia Hoops ($360; ivilosangeles.com). Sig Ward moonstone, tanzanite and amethyst ring ($3,750; sigwardjewelry.com). EF Collection Celebration Bracelet ($5,195). Available through Reis-Nichols Jewelers in Indianapolis and efcollection.com. Shy Creation Diamond Baguette Stud Earring ($1,080). Available through Moyer Fine Jewelers in Indianapolis, Genesis Diamonds in Nashville and shycreation.com.

A SHORE THING

provided

for over a century.

Written by Bridget Williams / Photos courtesy of The Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Passalacqua and Villa Sola Cabiati

The Grand Hotel Tremezzo has

luxurious la dolce vita on Lake Como

Third-generation hotelier Valentina De Santis is not in the business of making her guests cry. Still, it occasionally happens, recalls Gregory Bradelle, Manager of Passalacqua, the crown jewel of the De Santis' family holdings on Lake Como. During a recent visit, he recounted that several guests, upon the stunning setting of the

Bellini Suite (the largest on the lake at 2,600 square feet), have been brought to tears by its grandeur. In response, Valentina, whose sunny disposition elicits the sun's gravitational pull, making you want to remain in her orbit to bask in her innate gioiadivivere as long as possible, threw her head back in laughter.

Lake Como is a dreamy destination on its own, and embellishing the fantasy is all in a day's work for a woman who fondly remembers childhood summers spent as a real-life Eloise in the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, the first hotel on Lake Como and one of its most legendary As an only child, Valentina says she regarded the hotel as her personal castle, with her reigning (and running the halls) as its princess. This past spring, the princess of pop, Taylor Swift, made another of the DeSantis' properties Villa Sola Cabiati—"Insta famous" when she and Travis Kelce stayed at the exquisitely restored 12-bedroom, 16th-century lakefront villa, which typically rents for $21,000 /night.

While her welcoming hospitality is innate and effortless, Valentina's attention to detail is quite intentional and calculated, down to the staff's Lega tennis shoes emblazed with the hotel's logo in orange at Grand Hotel Tremezzo and yellow at Passalaqua

The Grand Hotel Tremezzo—situated across the lake from the boutique-lined cobblestone streets of Bellagio, the snow-capped peaks

of the Grigne Mountains, and right next door to the splendiferous gardens of Villa Carlotta—is my embodiment of a postcard-perfect version of a Lake Como holiday. My lakefront accommodation, suitable for a baroness, was outfitted with fine antiques—heavy on marquetry and ormolu, along with lush fabrics with a nice hand and substantial trim—personally selected by Valentina and her parents. The overall effect projects a playful attitude and a feminine touch. Fabulously fussy, the De Santis' have created a dreamscape with a unique sense of place that even a modernist like me appreciates for its craftsmanship and enduring appeal.

Each morning, after heading downstairs for an early Americano and a selection of cheese and charcuterie from the elegant breakfast buffet spread complete with polished silver serving pieces, I spent time on my lakefront balcony, where the elevated perch provided a cinematic-like view of the vignette below: smartly attired staff delivering an Aperol Spritz to guests lounging on orange and white beanbags arrayed around the deck of the floating pool;

Park View Prestige Room

Bellini Suite

A second-floor salon at Villa Sola Cabiati

an iconic and alluring Riva Aquariva, with a gleaming mahogany deck and retro baby blue leather trim, bobbing near mooring poles dressed in a coordinating color scheme; and, patrons parked on orange-cushioned seats savoring fresh seafood in the alfresco setting of Giacomo Al Lago, an outpost of the Giacomo Milano, founded by Giacomo Bulleri in 1958. In short, an ideal idyll.

It's a delicate dance for a century-old hotel to remain simultaneously relevant and true to its roots, and the Grand Hotel Tremezzo does it with aplomb. My last visit was nearly a decade ago. I was thrilled to see things that I loved, starting with the superbly hospitable staff, along with a self-service candy station arrayed on a marble-topped credenza at the terminus of the grand staircase, a steep hiking trail leading to a fantastic viewpoint behind the hotel, and the jewel-toned upholstery in the Salon Musica remained. At the same time, ongoing tweaks and enhancements to guestrooms, amenities, and restaurants create a renewed sense of interest and excitement even for clients who've been returning for decades.

A collection of 18th-century buildings, once part of a tiny village, sit adjacent to the 85-room hotel and have been thoughtfully retrofitted for modern purposes. These include the T Spa, complete with a Turkish bath and a lakeview sauna, a supremely equipped fourstory fitness center, and a wine cellar with a barrel-vaulted ceiling that hosts sommelier-guided tastings from 300-plus labels on offer. We enjoyed an exploration of Nebbiolo, a full-bodied wine rarely grown outside its primary production area in Piedmont, Italy.

A well-curated gift shop highlights pieces from the De Santis' Sense of Lake collection. A project borne out of the second COVID lockdown, Valentina said it provided an outlet to connect with guests through collaborations with brands they admire to create everything from custom-scented candles and toiletries to silk dresses, hats, and swim trunks. Announced in early summer, a partnership with London-based fashion designer Emilia Wickstead resulted in a limited-edition vacation-wear capsule collection in prints inspired by Lake Como's elegant surroundings and verdant landscape.

At T Pizza, a casual poolside woodfired pizza spot surrounded by lush gardens, you can make your own from scratch under the direction of a master pizzaiolo.

Risotti topped with saffron and a square of edible gold at La Terrazza, the only restaurant in the world offering the most famous dishes by Gualtiero Marchesi (1930-2017), regarded as the founder of new Italian Cuisine, and the first chef in Italy to ever gain three Michelin stars.

The lakefront amenities include a restaurant, floating pool and beach.

Photo by Julius Hirtzberger

You can venture out with a capitain in one of the hotel’s fleet of vintage speedboats.

The T-Spa lounge is housed in an 18th-century villa, complete with original floor mosaics and frescoes.

There are five restaurants on the property. Should you not be able to tear yourself away from the hotel's luxury confines during your stay, the diversity of the dining program allows for buon gusto from early morning to late-night digestifs in the T Bar. At T Pizza, a casual poolside woodfired pizza spot surrounded by lush gardens, you can make your own from scratch under the direction of a master pizzaiolo. Leave the cooking to the experts at La Terrazza, the only restaurant in the world offering the most famous dishes by Gualtiero Marchesi (1930-2017), regarded as the founder of new Italian Cuisine, and the first chef in Italy to ever gain three Michelin stars. Grand Hotel Tremezzo's Executive Chef, Osvaldo Presazz, is uniquely endowed to carry on the culinary maestro's legacy, having worked side-by-side with him. Don't miss Dripping di Pesce, an edible tribute to Jackson Pollock, and the ahh-inducing Riso, ro e zafferano, topped with saffron and a square of edible gold (those who order the iconic dish receive a gold-leaf-embellished certificate at the meal's conclusion).

And, while a luxury lockdown is certainly tempting, it would be a shame not to explore the area. The best way to enjoy Como is by water, and the Grand Hotel Tremezzo's marina keeps a fleet of vintage speedboats for guest charter. Accessorize with oversized sunglasses and a silk headscarf to feel like Sophia Loren while cruising around. Como has historically been a significant producer of silk; a public ferry runs throughout the day and evening to Bellagio, where there's a plethora of silk purveyors. Grab a sunset aperitif at Hotel du Lac's rooftop bar before returning.

Located on the tip of a small, wooded peninsula, Villa Barbienello, made even more famous by appearances in Casino Royale and Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones (including a kissing scene between Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala), is a gardener's paradise. With a history dating back to a Franciscan monastery in the 13th century, it was most recently owned by Count Guido Monzino, a businessman, antiquities and antiques collector and explorer, who donated the property to the National Trust of Italy after his death. Navigating the throngs of would-be influencers and Star Wars devotees recreating "the kiss" can be challenging; booking an interior tour through the Hotel's concierge provides a fascinating glimpse into the eccentric life of Monzino, a man who dedicated an entire floor to showcase his explorations, which included leading the first Italian expedition to Mount Everest.

Villa Carlotta, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo's next-door neighbor, is 14th century villa-turned art and house museum and botanical garden with 20 acres of formal gardens, including 150 varieties of azalea, a citrus tree allée, exotic plants, and water features. If you're looking for a longer walk, jump onto the Lake Como Greenway, a six-mile path that passes through seven different towns and along ancient Roman roads, historic churches, and stunning viewpoints. By water or walking, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo provides a luxurious home base for exploring this magical destination. sl

For more information visit: grandhoteltremezzo.com/en/; passalacqua.it/en/; senseoflake.com.

Grand Hotel Tremezzo boasts five parklike acres of gardens, complete with olive and palm groves.

Bibliotaph...

Compiled by Victoria Chase

A popular wine columnist uncorks the basics in this vibrant, accessible, and empowering guide to tasting, choosing, pairing, and serving every kind of wine. Charlotte Kristensen—Wine Taste Pair Pour: Grow Your Knowledge with Every Glass—hardcover, 224 pages, Prestel

You’re invited to pull up a chair to a year of meals, friends, and fun with the Partons, as Dolly and her sister (and favorite cook) Rachel share beloved, crowd-pleasing recipes and family stories. Dolly Parton and Rachel Parton George—Good Lookin’ Cookin’: A Year of Meals, A Lifetime of Family, Friends, and Food—hardcover, 272 pages, Ten Speed Press

Discover the oldest, most authentic cuisine in the world in this unique cookbook that explores the basis of all cuisines in the Middle East. Matay de Mayee—The Oldest Kitchen in the World: 4,000 years of Middle Eastern Cooking Passed Down through Generations— hardcover, 224 pages, Tra Publishing

Discover the art of effortless entertaining with 17 seasonal gatherings made simple, stylish, and soulful, complete with 18 recipes and fabulous decor tips. Available in October. Lorna Gross—Entertaining by Design: A Guide to Creating Meaningful Gatherings— Hardcover, 256 Pages, The Collective Book Studio

Award-winning interiors blogger Abi Dare of These Four Walls reveals a softer, more relaxed approach to minimalism that will enhance your wellbeing and simplify your home. Abi Dare—The Soft Minimalist Home: Calm, cozy decor for real lives and spaces— Hardcover, 208 pages, Ryland Peters & Small

bib

[bib-lee-uhtaf, -tahf]: a person who caches or hoards books

This is a collection of Indian philosopher, speaker, writer, and spiritual figure Jiddu Krishnamurti’s previously unpublished speeches and informal talks where he discusses war, politics and global tensions. Jiddu Krishnamurti—How to Find Peace: Living in a Challenging World—hardcover, 160 pages, Watkins Publishing

Van Gogh’s sublime artistry comes alive in this luxuriously packaged volume that features a canvas cover, impeccable reproductions of all the major works, and 48 extra pages on 6 fold-out spreads. Anne Sefrioui— Van Gogh: The Bigger Picture—hardcover, 176 pages, Prestel

Embrace the transformative power of kindness through stories of more than one hundred GOOD PEOPLE, brought to you by Upworthy, the beloved social media platform where millions find inspiration, joy, and daily affirmation. Gabriel Reilich and Lucia Knell—Upworthy-GOOD PEOPLE: Stories from the Best of Humanity— hardcover, 320 pages, National Geographic

An expressive book of prose and photographs that reveals the powerful ways our everyday places support our shared belonging. Gabrielle Bendiner-Viani—The Cities We Need: Essential Stories of Everyday Places—hardcover, 288 pages, The MIT Press

The first book dedicated to the contemporary Diné artist DY Begay, a fifth-generation weaver, featuring 80 stunning tapestries and essays exploring her life and legacy. Edited by Cécile R. Ganteaume and Jennifer McLerran Contributions by DY Begay, America Meredith and Jennifer Nez Denetdale— Sublime Light: Tapestry Art of DY Begay—hardcover, 272 pages, Smithsonian Books

An invitation to explore the life-giving lessons we can learn from the Earth, featuring stunning photography and reflections from an acclaimed visual artist. Stephen Proctor—Wild Wonder: What Nature Teaches Us About Slowing Down and Living Well—hardcover, 192 pages, Ink & Willow

I DIDN'T KNOW I MARRIED A POP ARTIST

By Carol Middlekauff

When I married Chuck Middlekauff in 1972, I didn't know he would be a red-hot pop artist. He didn't know it either.

I did know we were both green-eyed left-handers, and I did know we would have the same initials. But I didn't know his heroes were the cowboys in the "Westerns" he watched as a kid—and later the Beatles and Beach Boys. I didn't know he would spend a good part of his hours cruising in—or lying under—old cars. I didn't know he played guitar. I didn't know he would be a weightlifter, that he would spend time in jail, or that he had a serious case of "road rash."

I did know that, after four Navy years, while he mastered drafting school, he was the part-time mail clerk at the insurance company where I was a file clerk. And I did know I fell madly in love with him when our fingers touched as he handed me the mail.

Five months later, we declared our vows. And I began to know about the rest.

Chuck did spend some years as a draftsman. Then, struggling to find a better career path at Metropolitan State College in Denver, he took an elective drawing course. Encouraged by collecting a few "perfect tens" his professor said he never gave, Chuck declared a

major in fine art. Although he discovered he could draw and paint, I heard him grumble at his graduation, "How will I get a real job with this B.A. in Fine Art?"

I agreed he should enroll at the Colorado Institute of Art, where he aced the International Design Conference poster competition in Aspen and graduated with honors. Then, expecting his imaginative portfolio to earn him a spot at a top advertising agency, designing Coca-Cola campaigns and other fun stuff, instead, he discovered that those "real jobs" mostly meant executing others' ideas. He loved/hated it for four years in Denver and Los Angeles and eventually threw in the towel to take a crack at real art.

Sorting out what he would paint meant spending a few years relentlessly examining art and artists and narrowing it down to watercolors and acrylics. His subjects? Cowboys, the West, and the all-American kitsch he grew up with.

Since 1992, Chuck's distinctive pop art interpretations of the West (which regularly reflect his affinity for juxtaposition, advertising concepts, and inspirations from the likes of Andy Warhol, Billy Schenck, Nelson Boren, and Jackson Pollack) have

appeared in the finest Western galleries in America. These days, you'll find his work in Mountain Trails Galleries (Jackson Hole, Wyo., Bozeman, Mont., and Park City, Utah.) and Sorrel Sky Galleries (Durango, Colo., and Santa Fe, N.M.).

But what about the old cars, weights, travel, guitar, and jail? I'm getting to that.

His first old car was a yellow and white 1959 Nash Metropolitan. That's right, the tiny bathtub toy of a car that found fame in the 50's song "Beep, Beep." Then, it was a series of C3 Corvettes. His current classic is a 1973 Corvette Stingray. I mostly see the bright yellow tail end of it driving away for the day. Or his feet sticking out from under it. When I ask about the grease under his fingernails, he says, "Oh, that'll come off when I wash my hair." And it does.

Chuck's electric guitar is a "Brown Sunburst" Fender. Once in a while, he gets it out and plays 50s and 60s rock-and-roll songs (some from his time in a high school garage band and others he's picked out by ear from old records). Those same tunes usually fill the studio, intensifying his energy while he's painting.

At 76, he still lifts those weights. When he's not applying acrylics directly on canvas, those iron plates also come in handy for pressing the paper of his watercolor paintings onto canvases (with glue between and then varnish protection—no frames, no glass).

And what about jail? He wasn't sentenced to jail, but we both regularly share the forgiveness of Jesus behind those walls with the Bill Glass prison ministries.

His "road rash" means we've driven close to two million miles crisscrossing America in a various Oldsmobile or Buick. He's still stuffing cars with paintings to deliver to galleries and collectors' homes (he loves meeting his collectors), traveling to prison events, and just for fun, so we're on the road a lot.

And sometimes Chuck even paints. Fifty-two years later, I still don't know everything about this husband of mine. sl

Paintings, left-right, top-bottom: The FAB FIVE - 40" x 50" - Acrylic on Canvas ($6,000). Think Different - 40" x 30" - Acrylic on Canvas ($3,850). Cutie Pie - 40" x 30" - Mixed Media on Paper Mounted on Canvas ($3,850). Happy Hour - 48" x 36" - Mixed Media on Canvas ($5,000.00). The Wild and Wacky West Road Trip - 48" x 72" - Acrylic on Canvas ($10,250.00). Chuck's paintings are available through Mountain Trails Gallery in Jackson Hole (mtntrails.net) or Sorrel Sky Galleries in Durango, New York, and Santa Fe (sorrelsky.com). Read more about the artist at chuckmiddlekauff.com.

A NEW CHAPTER

The Bizzarrini ‘Giotto’

Written by Andre James / Photos courtesy of Bizzarrini

In 1964, automotive engineer Giotto Bizzarrini, who initially made his name as controller of experimental, Sports, and GT car development at Ferrari, founded his eponymous firm in Livorno, Italy. Approximately 133 examples of the brand's first car, the 5300GT, were produced across the Strada, America, and Corsa editions. In the summer of 1965, the Corsa edition of the 5300GT won its class at the 24hrs of Le Mans, after which Giotto drove the vehicle back to his home in Italy. While he professed a passion for automotive engineering and building, Giotto admitted he was less interested in the business side. After producing six different models, the company shuttered in 1969. The Bizzarrini brand and its intellectual property bounced between a series of owners until a new Bizzzarini company was formed in 2020 as a subsidiary of Pegasus Brands and supported by Alroumi Group Holdings and its CEO Rezam M. Al-Roumi, who, along with a group of investors, purchased a majority stake in Aston Martin Lagonda in 2007.

"As custodian of this remarkable brand, I am committed to returning Bizzarrini to its rightful place within the luxury automotive sector and creating new opportunities to engage and delight our discerning clients," said Al-Roumi.

Bizzarrini was reintroduced to the world in 2022 with the 5300 GT Corsa Revival. Its newest launch is the Giotto, a limitedrun super sports car named after the company's founder. Early in his career, automotive designer Giorgetto Giugiaro contributed to the design of the Bizzarrini 5300 GT, and he was selected, along with his son Fabrizio, to create the design of the first entirely new Bizzarrini model. "Designed for purpose and incorporating active

aerodynamic technologies, we have created something that is both recognizably Bizzarrini and totally relevant for an entirely new era of this cherished Italian brand," said Giugiaro.

Classic low-slung supercar proportions of the bespoke carbon fiber body are seamlessly blended with core elements of Bizzarrini's signature design DNA. The prominent dual bonnet-mounted vents of original Bizzarrinis have evolved into a new frontal visual character for the Giotto, incorporating ultra-slimline LED headlights. As they end in the center of the bonnet, they cradle a prominent centermounted Bizzarrini badge, just as it was framed on the 5300 GT. Being rear-mid-engined, the predatory stance of The Giotto is a visual representation of the power delivered through its rear wheels.

Among his accomplishments, Giotto Bizzarrini was heralded for his work in building the Lamborghini V12 engine, first used on Lamborghini's debut model, the 350 GT. His V12 engine proved such a compelling design that aspects of this power unit were used by Lamborghini right up until 2010, so naturally, Bizzarrini's work on the Lamborghini V12 provides inspiration for the Giotto's naturally aspirated V12 produced in partnership with Cosworth, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Development of the powertrain and all engineering aspects of the Giotto will be overseen by Bizzarrini CTO Chris Porritt, who has led engineering divisions at Aston Martin, Tesla, and Rimac.

In line with the company's original plan, Porritt will lead on-road testing of the Giotto in late 2024. "We have a clear vision for the Giotto, driven not by lap times or acceleration records but in the emotional engagement of both the driver and the passenger," said Porritt. sl

WE’LL DRINK TO THAT!

With Barkeep Vodka, St. Elmo refines a spirits staple

Written by Neil Charles / Photographed by Dave Pluimer

The bartender’s workhorse, vodka is the most popular spirit in the United States, with over 1,500 brands on the market. Competition for shelf or bar space is intense and margins are tight at the high-volume end of the range, where price is everything. In the premium category, perception of value is critical, and marketers often try to influence that perception through creative packaging, a slick advertising campaign, or a good story. The actual quality of premium vodka generally varies little from one producer to the next, whether the starting material is grapes, grain or potato, because the processes involved are quite similar: multiple runs through a column still, and filtration of one kind or another, all resulting in essentially similar end products. Whether vodka is distilled eight, 10, or 25 times, it is not possible, using traditional techniques, to remove the impurities that give the spirit its characteristic bite and burn.

Until now, that is. The latest entry into what many consider an already crowded category, Barkeep Vodka represents the remarkable result of a close collaboration between St. Elmo Steak House and Matt Rubin of True Essence Foods. “To stand a chance,” Rubin says, on entering a highly competitive field, “a product needs to have something unique in terms of flavor, ingredients, branding, or innovation. Better yet, it needs to plant a flag as the first, the best, or the only.”

Initially reluctant to produce their own vodka for their premixed Cosmopolitan and Espresso Martini offerings, the decision-makers at St. Elmo were quickly convinced by the sheer smoothness and purity of their corn-based vodka finished using Rubin’s patented Flavor Balancing process. “Our bartenders were trying it and proclaiming it the smoothest vodka they had ever tasted,” says Bryn Jones, vice president of marketing and sales at Huse Culinary, parent company of St. Elmo. The two cocktails, now widely available in retail stores, went on to win double gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, an extremely prestigious award recognized globally. The success of the mixed drinks led to the relatively easy decision to produce the vodka as a stand-alone product for use in Huse Culinary’s various restaurants, and for wider distribution at retail.

The first-ever vodka to use Rubin’s Flavor Balancing method, Barkeep is unique. Employing an entirely additive-free process, Flavor Balancing reduces the bite, burn and aftertaste of any distilled product by removing esters such as ethyl acetate and methyl propionate, as well as other fusel alcohols that can cause aromas and flavors with grassy, gluey or solvent characteristics, none of which are particularly desirable in a cocktail. The result is an exceptionally smooth and balanced vodka that can be enjoyed neat or mixed.

While the process might be fascinating, if not a touch bewildering to us lay people, what is equally impressive is that Barkeep Vodka is entirely Indiana-made. Crafted with Indiana-grown corn and distilled not far from Indianapolis, Barkeep is, in the truest sense of the words, locally produced. The use of corn is of interest; most American vodkas are distilled with barley or wheat, but not only is corn quintessentially Hoosier, it also imparts a subtle sweetness that shines through after the balancing process has been applied, enabling it to emphasize complex fruit and secondary flavors in a cocktail. Even though there is a slight perception of sweetness, the vodka is essentially dry. In a recent side-by-side tasting with one of the nation’s most popular brands, the staff of this publication were unanimous in their preference for Barkeep, enthusiastic about its smoothness and subtle viscosity when served ice cold. Paired with a couple of ounces of chilled caviar, this vodka is a drink fit for the Czars. sl For more information, visit barkeepvodka.com

BRING NATURE INDOORS FOR A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

Written by Stephanie Carlson, owner of Naturspire Landscapes

Purify the air you breathe, improve your family’s well-being and create a home that encourages a sense of peace and calm for those you love by incorporating nature into your decor. This act of bringing the beautiful outdoors inside is called biophilic design and provides a refreshing finishing touch to your interior. Gardening is not just limited to the outdoors anymore. For so many reasons, this indoor green trend is “growing.”

In my last column, we featured the many creative ways to welcome nature into our lives, our homes and our workplaces. Now, let’s look at why it is important that we put these biophilic design principles into action and bring nature indoors.

What do plants do for us?

• Improve air quality: Plants help to purify the air by absorbing our carbon monoxide and other pollutants, and in exchange releasing oxygen into the air we breathe.

• Enhance mood and well-being: Studies show exposure to nature and greenery reduces stress and improves overall mood. A natural environment creates a living space where your family feels more relaxed and content.

• I ncrease productivity: The presence of greenery can boost concentration and creativity, leading to better productivity and performance.

• Reduce noise levels: Plants can help to absorb sound and reduce noise levels, contributing to a quieter and more pleasant living environment.

• Add aesthetic appeal: Plants add the perfect finishing touch to your decor, making a space more inviting with a pop of green. Adding plants can make an office look more inviting and visually attractive.

• Improve cognitive function: Natural elements have been linked to improved cognitive function, including better memory and problem-solving skills, which can be beneficial for children going to school or parents heading to the office.

In essence, integrating plants and natural elements into your lifestyle can create a more pleasant, productive, and healthy home for all of your family to enjoy. Biophilic design positively affects lifestyles in partnership with the modern-built environment in a way that enhances health, fitness and well-being. sl For more information, visit naturspire.com

We are honored to announce that The Agency Indy has been selected as the exclusive brokerage to manage lot sales for Wild Air. Developed on a 260-acre property previously owned by one of Zionsville’s most prominent families, Wild Air honors the Johnson family’s legacy of philanthropy and community service through woodland preservation and a commitment to integrating nature into the community’s design. Located just minutes from Zionsville’s charming downtown village, Wild Air is the perfect harmony of nature and luxury living.

Your Move

A t Home

In Meridian-Kessler

Opening Night Twilight

It’s back! The Friday Opening Night

Meridian-Kessler Twilight Home Tour returns for 2024. Explore two spectacular homes on Washington Boulevard for a sunset tour. Enjoy cocktails and culinary specialties from local food and beverage vendors.

Friday, September 27

Tour: 6–7:30 p.m.

Cuisine and spirits: 6–8:30 p.m.

Tickets $100—includes admission to weekend tour

Weekend Home Tour

Tour time! The 51st annual Meridian-Kessler Home Tour features six distinctive homes for 2024. Explore everything from a classic 1919 American Craftsman on Central Avenue to a 1930 Tudor manor on Meridian Street. Enjoy the ambiance of the tree-lined streets while strolling between tour stops. Don’t miss works of art in each home by area artists.

Saturday and Sunday September 28-29

Tour: 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

Tickets $30

Opening Night Twilight Tour Homes

Weekend Day Tour Homes

PASTA LIKE NONNA MADE IT

Freshness is everything at Diavola

Written by Neil Charles / Photographed by Dave Pluimer

Italian-born restaurateur Dennis Gurnell spent much of his childhood in his grandmother’s kitchen, a place he remembers fondly as a nurturing environment overflowing with wonderful tastes and smells. It was here, in his native Vincenza, in Italy’s fertile Veneto region, that Dennis developed his love for food and cooking. “My grandmother, Maddelena Del Lago, always made fresh pasta, and there was a lot of risotto,” the chef recalls. “We made polenta every day; she would lay it out on the table, and we would cut it into slices. Leftovers would be grilled or fried.” Living through two world wars, Dennis’ grandmother was thrifty and resourceful, both in the garden, where she grew beans and tomatoes, and in the kitchen. “We would eat the less expensive cuts of meat; I recall liver risotto, which was delicious,” he adds. “She made wine in the bathtub, and we would catch quail for dinner.”

Dennis spent several years in and around kitchens in his hometown before moving to the United States, where he met his wife-to-be, Lori Welch, at the Heron School of Art where both were students. Now parents to four grown children, the couple’s aspirations lay in the world of art and design long before their career paths converged in the restaurant business. A longtime employee of legendary Indianapolis restaurateur Gino Pizzi, Lori had decades of experience at such well-known eateries as Sangiovese, Mangia and the original Ambrosia before taking on management responsibilities at Pizzi’s first pizzeria, Diavola, in 2016.

Initially conceived as a local pizzeria with a short wine list, Diavola achieved considerable success from the outset, quickly establishing its pies as amongst the very best in the area. The first thing one notices upon entering Diavola is the enormous and striking customized Marra Forni forced air oven that turns out perfectly cooked pizzas in 90 seconds flat. Mastering the art of cooking with this monstrous oven that cranks out a blistering 100,000 BTUs and can cook 110 pies per hour is no mean feat, so when the opportunity arose for Lori and Dennis to purchase the business, the Italian chef set about teaching himself how to do just that.

Co-owner and chef Dennis Gurnell

While the correct oven is crucial to producing the best Naples-style pizza, ingredients are of equal importance. Because the crust is thin and the toppings are light, there is no hiding behind sweet red sauce and mounds of cheese. Quality is everything. Fashioned from 100% Antimo Caputo 00 flour from Naples, the finest pizza flour in the world, Diavola’s crust is a thing of complexity and beauty. Dennis uses a two-day fermentation to imbue the dough with a uniquely tense yet crisp texture that defines the Naples style.

Having thrived for several years as a neighborhood restaurant and attracting a loyal following that, if anything, grew during the COVID years, the couple decided to begin incrementally broadening their menu. Diavola has now evolved into a fully-fledged trattoria, with an emphasis on fresh ingredients, including an oven-roasted New York strip for the dedicated carnivore. Pride of place on the revamped menu, however, must go to the mouthwatering selection of pastas, including gluten-free, produced in-house with one or two exceptions. “I can make pasta in my sleep now,” says Dennis. “It becomes part of your routine. Starting out it was difficult and time-consuming, but now I could probably feed pasta to 200 people a day.” Limited by kitchen space, pasta production is strictly confined to what can be served in the restaurant, although the couple would one day like to be able to make enough to sell at retail. A labor-intensive process, the noodles are rolled and cut entirely by hand, while gnocchi are shaped on ancient-looking wooden forms. This is truly artisanal food, and the quality is evident in every al dente mouthful.

Outstanding pasta dishes on Diavola’s expanded menu include a truly exceptional spinach, truffle and mushroom ravioli that is served with a rich gorgonzola, walnut and cream sauce. It is a must-have item, as is the tagliatelle Bolognese, with its house-made fennel sausage adding a quintessentially northern Italian aromatic element to the sauce. This dish is a personal favorite, and worthy of return visits. The chef’s favorite pasta dish to make is bigoli con l’anatra. “It’s a common dish in Vicenza and throughout the Veneto region as a whole,” explains Lori. “It’s a traditional pasta dish made with fresh bigoli pasta and a hearty duck ragu, a simple but also luxurious dish. We’ve run it as a special before but have been hesitant to put it on our regular menu as duck ragu is a bit of an acquired taste here in Indy.”

Pan-seared sea scallops with saffron cream sauce in a tangle of fresh pappardelle

Diavola uses premium semolina flour imported from Italy for its pasta.

At Diavola, pasta is always house-made.

Pappardelle Sunday Sauce

Freshly made squid ink and regular pappardelle

For the daily or weekly specials, the couple acquires ideas and inspiration from their travels to Italy, where they spend around a month each visit. “While we’re there, we spend a lot of time tasting and noting dishes at restaurants in particular areas, especially in the northern Veneto region,” she continues. “Many of our regulars have traveled to Italy, lived in Italy, and so on, so it’s often a shared memory that will inspire us.”

Offering advice to home cooks looking to produce their own pasta, Dennis provides the following suggestions: “Use 50-50 tipo 00 semolina flour and 00 wheat flour, never all-purpose flour. Use fresh farm eggs and ground sea salt,” he says. Proper ingredients are hard to find, although these days most can be purchased online for a premium. If time and the hunt for the proper flour doesn’t permit, Diavola is open seven days a week if you are craving some of the most authentic pizza and pasta in town. While still a most welcoming neighborhood eatery, Diavola is quickly becoming a destination, well worth the drive from any part of town. sl For more information, visit diavola.net

A decadent sauce of lobster and fresh soleggiati tomatoes awaits pasta.

CHICAGO, CHICAGO

A back-to-school trip features old favorites and a new discovery

Written by Jeffrey Cohen

Taking our daughter back to Chicago to begin her sophomore year at college, my wife and I decided it would provide a nice change of pace if we stayed at a different hotel from our usual. We had heard and read very enthusiastic reviews of Arlo Chicago on Michigan Avenue, so it was here that the three of us checked in a few days before the start of the school year. That decision was validated each time we walked into the lobby, where we were always welcomed warmly and professionally, especially our first evening, when we returned to the hotel after dinner and were greeted by the night auditor. In all of my travels, never have I encountered a front desk person so engaging and convivial. She must possess a special inner Zen, because I saw her the next two mornings on my way to the hotel’s fitness center, and she was equally as kind and upbeat, even at that very early hour.

Arlo is a relatively new addition to the city’s hotel scene, but its location in the heart of downtown, steps from Millennium Park, in the reimagined 1916 Atlantic Bank Building is steeped in history. Originally designed by celebrated architectural firm Marshall and Fox, the building, including its terra cotta facade, has

been completely restored inside and out, and returned to its original splendor. Known for its art galleries, trendy restaurants and bustling nightlife, this neighborhood just south of the Chicago River is very “then and now.” Part of a small hotel group that includes properties in New York and Miami, Arlo Chicago, with its sleek modern window walls, contrasts with the more than century-old brick and stone buildings that still dot the surrounding area, creating a visual dialogue between the past and the present.

Within this stately setting, Arlo’s design reflects a thoughtful blend of modern aesthetics and functionality, with public areas offering defined spaces for both relaxation and work. The lobby is a prime example, featuring high ceilings and large windows that flood the main floor with natural light, and a fascinating selection of contemporary art that pays homage to Chicago’s cultural heritage. Comfortable seating areas are strategically placed throughout, making it an inviting place for guests to linger, work, or socialize. And with the Democratic National Convention in full swing a few miles away, the hotel was certainly a great place for people-watching.

A cozy nook at Arlo Chicago

The hotel blends seamlessly into the neighborhood.

Our accommodations on the building’s top floor offered spectacular views of Michigan Avenue, as well as the park, with its recently restored Bean, and Lake Michigan. We were particularly impressed by the rooms’ design elements. Featuring minimalist decor, with clean lines and a neutral color palette, finishes are of a high quality, including natural wood, stone, and metal throughout to bring a reassuring touch of luxury. Incorporating space-saving furniture, such as beds with built-in storage and wall-mounted desks, our rooms were very comfortable and spacious.

A popular gathering place for both hotel guests and locals alike is Arlo’s restaurant About Last Knife, named after the almosteponymous 1986 movie that was shot in part in Millennium Park, and starred Rob Lowe and Demi Moore. ALK features a contemporary yet cozy interior, with a mix of sleek and rustic elements and an open kitchen that creates a warm, welcoming environment. The space is adorned with dark wood accents, plush leather seating and exposed brick walls, giving it a timeless urban feel that echoes the character of the neighborhood, and mirrors the moody background of the film–I could easily imagine a young Demi or Rob striding through its doors.

About Last Knife is a refreshingly modern take on the traditional gastropub. Open daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner,

brunch and Lucky Hour (happy hour), the menus feature a range of options, including fresh seafood, creative salads, and indulgent sides. With a focus on shareable plates, such as the signature steak bites or roasted brussel sprouts, the eatery also offers an expansive drink menu, with a well-balanced selection of craft cocktails, wines, and local beers. It was here that we convened on our first evening for drinks and bites before heading out to meet our daughter’s roommate and her mother for dinner at Gibson’s Italia a short distance away on Canal Street.

Since 1989, the exquisite tri-level Italian steakhouse in the 52-story River Point building has been offering a dining experience as breathtaking as its skyline views. We were greeted like old friends by the Maître d’ and were quickly attended to by the congenial and knowledgeable sommelier, who advised on wine choices and food pairings throughout the evening. Amongst other memorable dishes, we shared a succulent dry-aged tomahawk ribeye, a seemingly endless steak that my wife deemed close to perfect. Our exemplary server recommended the fresh pasta, so we shared a cacio e pepe, as well as the divine raviolo carbonara. Choosing a splendid bottle of Gosset Brut Champagne from the epic list, I made a toast to the effect that our daughters had hit the roommate lottery, to which our friend toasted in reply that we had all hit the roommates’ parents’ lottery. Touché!

Books

The next-level caprese salad at About Last Knife

About Last Knife is a Chicagoan favorite

The next day, following a brisk workout in the hotel’s wellequipped fitness center and a light breakfast at ALK, we indulged in some shopping on Michigan Avenue before heading up to our daughter’s favorite, RL Restaurant, a dozen or so blocks north. Our walk, usually quick and trouble-free, was impeded somewhat by barricades and fences erected for the convention. By the time we arrived, we had worked up quite an appetite. To accompany my favorite rosé from Provence, I had the lobster bisque and the crab and avocado salad, and our daughter’s roommate’s mother chose the deceptively divine chicken sandwich, while my wife and the girls all ordered chicken fingers from the kids’ menu (a longtime favorite, even though everyone is now quite grown-up). Our favorite server, who always manages to be professional and indulgent at the same time, went above and beyond, snapping photos of the five of us and including himself in a few for good measure. Suitably sated and replete with fond memories, we moved our daughters into their dorm, then returned to the hotel for a well-earned nap.

Dinner that evening was a date night for my wife and me at another perennial favorite, Mon Ami Gabi in Lincoln Park. Part of the family-owned Lettuce Entertain You group, this classic old-

style French brasserie is located on a leafy street just a stone’s throw from the lake. Cozy and pleasantly bustling, the restaurant is full of old-world charm and is patronized by a clientele that clearly knows its European food. As always, we were met with the warmest of welcomes before being shown to our preferred table in the bar. Chef himself came by to say hello, and asked if we had tried the ratatouille, as the ingredients were at their freshest this time of year. Of course we ordered it, and were stunned by the vibrant purity of a seemingly simple dish. This little gem offers elevated country cooking that includes rustic chicken liver pate, steaming bowls of mussels and wonderfully authentic steak frites. Starting with escargots smothered in garlic butter, and a freshly-baked baguette, we subsequently enjoyed all of the above, washed down with a delicious Chateauneuf du Pape.

The next day saw us stopping by our daughter’s dorm for a quick goodbye before hitting the road back to Indianapolis. Even though we know we will see her in another month for Family Weekend, each visit ends with its own sense of finality. But what do they say about absence? It just makes the times together all that much more fun and memorable. sl For more information, visit arlohotels.com/chicago

The hotel offers sweeping views of Millennium Park.

DISTINCTIVE DESIGN DONE RIGHT

Jamie Gauker of J. Gauker Interiors

Written by Geri Imler

Jamie Gauker is not new to Indianapolis’ northern suburbs. In fact, she’s a native Hoosier whose love of design has garnered over 21 years of experience in the industry. Her passion ultimately evolved into a comprehensive interior design firm, J. Gauker Interiors, specializing in residential interior and exterior projects. With a studio located immediately south of the Indiana Design Center in the heart of the Carmel Arts & Design District, she’s opened her door to a plethora of clients from Carmel, Zionsville, Geist, Fishers, Noblesville, Westfield, and beyond. A Houzz award-winner and an active member of the American Society of Interior Designers, Gauker has solidified her footprint helping others elevate their surroundings and breathe new life into their spaces.

While Gauker has worked on several new home projects, her sweet spots are home refurbishing and remodeling. “So many people think that interior designers are only for people building a home. We do that, but our business and what we focus on are the furnishings and how you live in your home,” says Gauker. “It’s my job to know all of your options and choices.” She achieves this by staying up-to-date on the latest design concepts and frequenting

important industry events such as the annual High Point Furniture Market. Gauker takes inspiration from High Point’s massive showroom displays and thought-provoking educational sessions with keynote speakers such as Joanna Gaines, Bunny Williams, and Martyn Lawrence Bullard. With that type of exposure, it’s evident that this designer is at the top of her game.

It’s a game that Gauker sees as peace-of-mind insurance for the home by providing design choices that highlight style, enhance flow, and tell a story for homeowners to share with family and friends for years to come. Even when tastes differ among a home’s occupants, by following her proven process from start to finish, Gauker often finds it to be a successful relationship and design partnership.

Part of that process includes offering her honest opinion on what will add value to a space and working with clients across the style spectrum. For example, since color can affect the emotionality of a space, Gauker and her team are excited to use their analysis to create intentional energy. Instead of attempting to achieve a “magazine look,” they’re keen to choose accessories that add a sprinkle of sophistication to the space while also displaying the personality of each client.

Photographed by Kim Beesley Photography

A family room maximizes views as well as comfort.

Photographed by Kendall McQuay - The Addison Group

Lush emerald green enlivens a kitchen.

Photographed by Kendall McQuay - The Addison Group

Gauker brings modern flair to this open family room/kitchen and employs varying textures and finishes in her designs.

Photographed by Kendall McQuay - The Addison Group

This family room is designed for comfort. Photographed by Adam Gibson

Tonya Harvey has had the pleasure of working with this designer not once, but four times. “Having a contractor is great, but an experienced professional designer like Jamie was so valuable in coming up with ideas on functionality and design that made all the difference in our happiness.” But it’s not just about short-term happiness. Gauker has an “understanding of how to layer in popular trends that can easily be changed throughout the years without major overhauls so your home is always fresh and updated,” says Harvey. With both present desires and future uncertainties in mind, J. Gauker Interiors strives to curate a distinctive aesthetic that aligns with a client’s lifestyle.

Great design takes time, which is why it’s important for clients to have realistic expectations about the timeline. Much like having to walk before running, Gauker likes the client to know exactly what they’re getting before taking the next steps. This level of work for a designer involves patience, communication, and an

ability to handle any issues that might arise along the way. The process can be emotional for clients, but as Gauker reassures them: “It’s worth the wait to get what you want.” She’s willing to ask the hard questions and push the envelope to get exactly what the client needs and wants. “Bigger is better, but less is more,” Gauker says, knowing that taking the time to find the perfect piece of art or accessories will not only change a space, but also make it personal by accentuating what really matters to the homeowner.

Another client, Tim Donahue, worked with Gauker on two major projects that include a new build in the Bridgewater community located in Westfield, Indiana and a total rehab of his home in Naples, Florida. “She took the time to understand my vision and how I want to live in both houses, which will keep me from becoming bored with them over time,” he says. In the end, Donahue is enthusiastic to convey that working with Jamie, “was pure enjoyment.”

A plush and cozy bedroom Photographed by Kendall McQuay - The Addison Group

achieves a contemporary yet classic feel in this spacious kitchen.

Gauker

Photographed by Kendall McQuay - The Addison Group

A porch offers luxurious comfort while letting the view be the star. Photographed by Kendall McQuay - The Addison Group

The cozy fireplace is the focus of another porch. Photographed by Kendall McQuay - The Addison Group

As many clients like to revisit and update their interiors every six to 10 years, this designer is looking for ways in which the spaces will be used everyday, putting in the work to make it shine with an assortment of good-better-best choices for the client. She’s cognizant of what can be achieved with the investment a person is willing to make in their home. With their hands-on, clientcentric, comprehensive approach, J. Gauker Interiors strives to take a load off homeowners feeling weighed down with decision fatigue about their spaces.

When she’s not assisting clients, Gauker passionately works with the Greater Indy Women’s Build for Habitat for Humanity, which she’s done for the past five years. She’s an active member of the Home Artisans of Indiana, spends time with her two older children, and enjoys

tennis, pickleball, good food and wine, and jazz. Just as she isn’t afraid to get “down and dirty” in her community or create opportunities for individual growth, she’s ready to do the same for her clients.

J. Gauker Interiors’ website points out that it is possible to achieve change without a wrecking ball. Gauker knows that when spaces don’t fit the way someone lives, or when homeowners feel stuck in dated rooms, the renovation process can be overwhelming. She hopes to make it easy and approachable, working hard to “infuse life into every corner” of her clients’ homes. “It’s about more than just aesthetics; it’s about creating a home that enhances your daily living, one that reflects the essence of who you are and how you love to live,” Gauker says. Or, as her motto reads: Distinctive design, done right. sl For more information, visit jgaukerinteriors.com

Photographed by Kim Beesley Photography

Discover the magic of Wundernacht

November 20, 6-9 p.m.

Join the Carmel Christkindlmarkt for an exclusive night of fun and fundraising at the inaugural Wundernacht. Enjoy complimentary food, specialty cocktails, ice skating, and more. Attend as a guest, or host your own guests as a sponsor. Scan the QR code to learn more.

CARME L

Matt Sigler, CFP®

Senior Vice President, Managing Director

Skip Watson Executive Vice President, Indiana Regional President Max

EAU SO WONDERFUL

A resort that feels like home in Palm Beach

Written by Jeffrey Cohen

It was in November 2003 that my wife-to-be and I were knee-deep in the Atlantic Ocean at Palm Beach when I looked at my watch and realized that we were due to get married in about an hour. A quick dash into the hotel and an elevator ride up to our room had us rushing to get dressed before the rabbi arrived. Of course, my ablutions were considerably simpler than those of my bride: notably, a brush through the hair, a fresh shirt and my best suit, and within a quarter of an hour I was off to the club lounge to collect myself. It was there that I ran into a gentleman from San Francisco, something of a fixture at the hotel, who noticed my appearance and asked why I was all “dudded up.” Explaining that I was getting married within the next half- hour, he deadpanned that there was plenty of time to enjoy the last martini of my bachelorhood. And so we did.

That hotel is now Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, a paradisal place at which my family and I have stayed many times over the ensuing years. Recently purchased by Oracle founder Larry Ellison, the resort is the epitome of restrained elegance and flawless good taste. Ever since I was a relatively young man, I have visited Palm Beach, initially for business, but nowadays, mostly for pleasure.

Much as I love traveling abroad, if I had to make a choice, I would choose Palm Beach over just about anywhere else in the world. This elite enclave on the sea holds so many memories that I could not imagine never returning. And, of all the wonderful resorts in town, this one holds a special place for me and my family.

Since our wedding, Eau Palm Beach has undergone extensive renovations to update and modernize its facilities while maintaining the hotel’s original charm and discernment. The refurbishment includes Jonathan Adler-redesigned guest rooms, the most notable being the opulent Lilly Pulitzer Suite, named after the colorful Palm Beach socialite who started a fashion sensation in the 1960s with her tropical print dresses. (For the uninitiated, which does not include my wife and daughter, the flagship Lilly Pulitzer store now occupies pride of place on iconic Worth Avenue and is highly recommended.) Interiors were refreshed with a clean and contemporary coastal design, incorporating vibrant colors and elevated decor. The resort also introduced new dining concepts and enhanced its recreational amenities, such as the private beach, pools, and tennis courts, as well as public spaces and the acclaimed Eau Spa.

The luxe lobby at Eau Palm Beach

Bōken sushi bar

Every time we check into Eau, we are treated like family. We feel like family too, having created so many memories at the resort, both as a couple and with our now-grown children. This occasion was no exception; the staff had once again remembered all of our favorite things. When we walked into our oceanfront Club Level suite, in addition to champagne and our favorite Provencal rosé, we were greeted with all manner of freshly baked, warm cookies (chocolate chip for the kids), and a lovely bound photo album highlighting our family visits to the resort over the preceding 19 years, an extraordinarily generous and meaningful gesture. As always, we were attended to by the incomparable Philip Brice and his wonderful Club Lounge team, whose dedication to hospitality is second to none.

Once you arrive at Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, whether it be for a few days or a couple of weeks, there is really no need to leave the property. Several restaurants and bars ensure all culinary requirements are addressed in exquisite style. A recent addition is Oceana, a directtrade coffee shop that happily catered to my wife’s exotic tastes in hot drinks, and also sells a range of Eau-related keepsakes. For the kids, Melt, an upscale ice cream parlor, indulged our sugar cravings with a range of nostalgic confections and house-made creations. The resort is emphatically family-friendly, with dedicated, supervised spaces specifically designed for children and teens, where the younger ones

can spend the entire day playing in a virtual playground zone, and the older ones can amuse themselves with the latest in gaming technology. Ensconced in our suite, we immediately availed ourselves of the Club Level’s impeccable comforts. Open throughout the day, the lounge offers a range of culinary delights, including gourmet breakfast, light lunch, afternoon tea, evening hors d’oeuvres, and decadent desserts. Remembering our son’s predilection for lox and bagels, the staff had laid in a supply, as well as chicken tenders, still a perennial favorite with our children, even though they are now in their late teens. In the early evening before dinner, my wife and I enjoyed the club’s excellent selection of fine wines and cocktails, while first thing in the morning we took our coffee on the terrace as our daughter sat across the way on the balcony of our suite, curled up in one of the hanging egg-shaped chairs, enjoying a good book.

Open for dinner only, Angle specializes in farm-to-fork fare of impeccable quality. Here, the emphasis is on freshness, sustainability and transparency of sourcing. My wife and daughter dug into various cuts of the meltingly tender Creekstone Farms beef, while I went in the opposite direction with a stuffed whole hogfish–a first for me, and quite spectacular. Our son, always openminded when it comes to food, was more than delighted with his bison ribeye, an impeccably prepared slab of pure protein perfectly suited to the needs of a growing teenager.

The beach is mere steps away from the pool, ensuring guests can have the best of both worlds.

Savor offers healthy, wellness-focused cuisine.

The elegant Club Lounge

The hotel has its own ice cream shop.

Eau’s inviting pool area is the perfect place to spend a relaxing afternoon.

Polpo Palm Beach features regional Italian dishes with an emphasis on seafood.

Other dining options include the intimate and highly regarded Bōken, an innovative sushi restaurant where we reveled in a sophisticated 15-course omakase menu designed for the adventurous gastronome. Accompanied by a range of beautifully crafted sakes, this was one of the more memorable meals we have experienced in Palm Beach.

More casual all-day fare is available at Breeze Ocean Kitchen, a beachfront restaurant where we enjoyed a relaxing lunch on several occasions. Overlooking the ocean, I will always remember fondly the day about eight years ago that we met a British family who had just arrived after a long flight across the pond. I had gone down to the beach to watch the sunrise and witnessed two young children charging towards the water, fully clothed. So excited were they to see the Atlantic that they jumped straight in, with no regard for the frigid temperature. I am delighted to report that we remain dear friends and see each other whenever our travels allow. More indelible memories.

Of course everyone loves Italian food, and Eau delivers with Polpo Palm Beach, a Calabrian-style restaurant originally

established in Greenwich, Connecticut, which offers hearty fare in grand style. Featuring seafood, various meats and plenty of perfectly prepared fresh pasta dishes, this quickly became our favorite spot for comfort dining. The Sunday Brunch is a veritable cornucopia of coastal Italian dishes, including clams and oysters, as well as an elaborate charcuterie selection and a vast array of more traditional Italian entrees.

Except for a date-night dinner at La Goulue in town, which has now become one of our favorite French restaurants anywhere, we enjoyed all of our meals at the hotel. With steak frites that my wife swooned over and a confit de canard on a par with the finest I have eaten in Dijon, La Goulue is one of the few reasons I can think of to leave the comfort and luxury of the resort.

Also off-property, we played a most agreeable round at the Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course, an unrivaled location that runs between the Atlantic Ocean and the beautiful Intracoastal Waterway. For those who are not especially serious about their game, this course also offers a quick round with plenty of opportunities for adult refreshment.

Beachfront dining at Breeze Ocean Kitchen

Usually more of a gym rat than a spa guy, but always keen to follow my wife’s lead on matters of beauty and wellness, I joined her for a half-day at Eau Spa, a sanctuary of relaxation and rejuvenation. This award-winning, 42,000-square-foot facility offers a delightful escape, with signature treatments that blend traditional techniques with modern innovations. My wife and I enjoyed a couples’ massage, a first for us, which we found most relaxing. Another popular choice is the Imperial Geisha, which incorporates warm sake, rice, and camellia oil to nourish and hydrate the skin. For a rejuvenating facial, the Ultimate Oxygen Facial uses advanced technology to infuse oxygen and essential nutrients, revitalizing and illuminating the complexion. Additionally, the spa features luxury skincare lines such as Valmont and Yon-ka Paris, known for their science-backed formulations. These products are available for purchase, allowing guests to blend their experiences into their home beauty routines. The spa’s playful Scrub & Polish Bar allows guests to create their own customized body scrubs, adding a personal touch to their treatments.

Following our pampering, we retreated to the Self-Centered Garden, a tranquil oasis where guests can unwind in private cabanas, surrounded by lush greenery and soothing water features. Then after a healthy lunch at Savor, the spa’s restaurant, we headed out for some retail therapy on Worth Avenue, and, inevitably, the reintroduction of necessary toxins at the lively Stir Bar on the terrace back at the hotel.

With activities no more strenuous than eating, drinking, riding bikes and playing a leisurely round of golf, our week in Palm Beach was as relaxing as could be. Evoking more memories, I took early morning walks along the beach, hand-in-hand with my nowgrown daughter, turning up seashells as we went. When and if I have grandchildren, I hope I’ll be robust enough to share the same experiences with them. Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa has truly become family friendly, a far cry from the rather staid and stuffy establishments of years gone by. The resort is reflective of the new Palm Beach, a place it is easy to consider a “home away from home,” or perhaps, simply Eau-some. sl For more information, visit eaupalmbeach.com

Mike Boatright

Regina Laux

Katie Smith

Jill Robisch

The day I finally left him was the first day of school for my children—one in kindergarten and the other in third grade. The timing might not have been convenient, but it became my moment of escape. He was at work when I made the decision, and he advised me not to be there when he got home.

I left, seeking refuge at a coworker’s house, but her unease and concerns about being tracked forced me to leave again, leaving me without a clear destination. As the divorce proceedings began, our house became a battleground. I owned it, so leaving could have been seen as abandonment, while he had marital rights to stay. This left me trapped in a place of constant fear. One day, he removed all the lightbulbs, plunging the house into darkness, and I feared he might be lurking inside.

The psychological torment extended to my phone. Innocent conversations with friends via text would later resurface in eerie ways. For instance, after mentioning my desire to exercise more for my well-being, I arrived home to find my bike strategically placed in the driveway. Similarly, seemingly harmless inquiries from friends about corporate jargon would be casually dropped into conversation by my husband later that evening. These incidents didn’t appear overtly threatening but left me perpetually doubting my reality and sanity. My world felt like it was unraveling, and I desperately wanted to maintain the facade of composure.

“More Than a Phone” provides just that—so much more than a phone. Many survivors face tracking and physical danger, but others, like me, grapple with emotionally abusive relationships where the phone is just another tool for manipulation, fostering a constant atmosphere of fear. Every survivor’s story is unique, but the resources provided by More Than a Phone offer safety, a fresh start, and the confidence to regain control over our lives, which often feels just beyond our reach.

More Than Phone partners with domestic violence programs across 27 states and Washington, DC, ensuring survivors have access to vital resources and support.

• GOURMET BITES & TOP-SHELF DRINKS: Indulge in delicious food and drinks.

• DJ & BOUNCE HOUSES: Groove to the beats of DJ Gabby Love with special guest DJ Reese Ray and let loose in the bounce houses!

• LIVE & SILENT AUCTIONS: Bid on amazing items and experiences for a fantastic cause!

Our annual fundraising event, More Than a Tailgate, is happening on Sunday, October 6th, at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center (Colts Training Facility). This event promises something for everyone:

• EXCLUSIVE ACCESS: Explore the indoor practice field, perfect for kids and kids-at-heart to burn off some energy!

• WATCH PARTY EXTRAVAGANZA: Cheer on our Colts as they play against the Jacksonville Jaguars during their away game!

But here’s the best part – your participation helps us provide free and safe smartphones to survivors of domestic violence. These phones are more than just devices; they are essential tools that empower survivors to rebuild their lives safely and independently. Every dollar raised at More Than a Tailgate directly supports our mission, ensuring that survivors have the resources they need to break free from abuse and thrive.

Join us on October 6th for More Than a Tailgate and be a part of transforming lives. Together, we can create a community where every survivor receives the support they deserve.

Celebrating 70 years with the King of the Monsters!

How do you know when it’s time to become your best self?

You’ll develop higher levels of ful llment, discernment, purpose. And the con dence that comes with knowing yourself really well, with someone at your back.

SOPHISTICATED SOCIETY

Presented by

September

8/19-8 US Open, New York City, usopen.org

1 Formula I Italian Grand Prix, Monza, Italy, formula1.com

7 The Penrod Arts Fair, Newfields, Indianapolis, penrod.org

12-15 Fortinet Championship, Napa Valley, California, fortinetchampionship.com

27 Indianapolis Indians Charities SWING, Indianapolis, swingvf.org

28 IBCF 2024 Through the Looking Glass Gala, Lucas Estate, Carmel, indianabcf.org

October

3-5 Mecum Auctions Indy Fall Special, Indianapolis, mecum.com

4 Oktoberfest, Carmel, carmel.in.gov

6 More Than a Tailgate, Indianapolis, morethanaphone.org

9-13 Frieze London, The Regent’s Park, London, frieze.com

14-20 Shriners Children’s Open, TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas, shrinerschildrensopen.com

21-11/10 Ann Katz Festival of Books and Arts, JCC Indianapolis, jccindy.org

Compiled by Kerstie Shaw

Photographed by Amy

TEAM FOX CONCERT FOR A CURE

More than 60 guests gathered at the home of Wendy Chase and Rob Spalding, founders of Chasing a Cure Parkinson’s Foundation, for the 2024 Concert for a Cause, on May 23. This is the first year for this now annual event; next year’s event will be held on July 5. Highlights included a silent auction featuring numerous luxury items such as an interior design package from GreyHunt Interiors, a Napa Valley getaway, and Gucci sunglasses. Gold sponsor FoxGardin Family provided dinner, joined by other Gold sponsors Laney Consulting and Chase Group Consulting. The event supported the community fundraising arm of the Michael J. Fox Foundation and all proceeds raised ($52,000) went to support Parkinson’s research.

1) Hayley Lacy, Allen Johnson Jr., Amaya LeBlanc 2) Karen Snyder, Tana Hardy, Julie Hardy, Nikki Goodin 3) Britt Husman, Michelle Husman 4) Lisa Rahimi, Keivan Rahimi, Nicole Bojrab, Ali Rahimi 5) Shannon McCollom, Chris Nevogt, Rhonda Andreoni, Angela Van Vliet, Sabrina Knox 6) Tiffany Anderson, Mike Anderson 7) Chris Laney, Angi Laney, Wendy Chase, Rob Spalding 8) Wendy Chase, Sallie Lord 9) Shannon Gilbert, Tiffany Gilbert

Pauszek

Private garage space that you own, customize, and enjoy within Hamilton County’s premier automotive community.

Schedule time to meet our team and visit our growing campus at www.motor-district.com/tour, or join us for an upcoming event.

collecting passion seriously. Join a community of like-minded enthusiasts that share a common passion. MOTOR DISTRICT SR-32 & Ditch Road Westfield

remote workspace, project workshop, entertainment complex to delight your clients, friends and family.

your car collection, RVs, motorcycles, boats and more within our gated and monitored campus.

EXCLUSIVE YACHTS

Exclusive Yachts, in partnership with BSWANKY, hosted an unforgettable evening of luxury and high fashion at the Hotel Escalante in Naples, Florida on May 16. The “Seas the Day’’ cocktail party brought together over 70 guests, including Exclusive Yachts members, industry partners, and special invitees for an elegant poolside event that celebrated the best of nautical chic and bespoke fashion. The highlight of the evening was the unveiling of a new line of yacht-inspired handbags by renowned artist and designer Gretchen Bauer of BSWANKY. The fusion of fine living, luxury yachts, and high fashion created an ambiance that celebrated the essence of Gulf Coast luxury.

by Helen

1) Julie Perry, Mary Brandt 2) Crissy Hynes, Gretchen Bauer 3) Gayle Driscoll, Tim Driscoll 4) Jessica Zazo, Chris Zazo 5) Scott Gilbert, Jolee Farro 6) Glenn Hartman, Kathy Capodice, David Hampe 7) Richard Lyons, Gina Lyons, Monica Ruth, Teresa Smith 8) Mike Noble, Jodi Fitzner 9) Lisa Ganzhorn, Dean Ganzhorn 10) Ed Bozarth, Matt Smith 11) Elise Brown, Charlie Brown 12) Jay Heck, Darlene Heck

Photographed

Werner Photography

by Amy

DISCOVERING BROADWAY

Nearly 900 people attended the Trouble with Dead Boyfriends Musical Concert on April 20 at the Newfields’ Tobias Theater. Benefiting Discovering Broadway, the event showcased music from a Broadway musical currently being workshopped. In the past three years, Discovering Broadway has incubated six new Broadway-bound musicals, including The Devil Wears Prada, Ever After, and Hamlet. The Trouble with Dead Boyfriends tells the story of a prom gone wrong, and guests arriving in their prom finery received corsages and boutonnieres. The concert starred Myha’la Herrold from HBO’s Industry, Barrett Wilbert Weed from Mean Girls, Arica Jackson from The Book of Mormon, Jimmy Brewer from Broadway’s Shucked, and Eric Weigand from Broadway’s Plaza Suite.

1) Rick Campbell, Laura Campbell 2) Susan Bonanno, Ellie Bonanno 3) Alex Petti, Sheela Ramesh 4) Andrew Durand, Sadie Cohen 5) Todd Neal, Chris Schneider 6) Marni Lemons, Michael Lasley 7) Marianne Glick, Joel Kirk, Billie Dragoo 8) Randy Sorrell, Kim Sorrell, Jill Zaniker, Aimee Wiegmann

Photographed

Pauszek

by Amy

CINEMANIA

On April 19, the Crane Bay Event Center welcomed more than 650 supporters of Heartland Film for Cinemania, a one-night celebration of iconic film through unique experiences. Guests were immersed in a whimsical world of yellow submarines, strawberry fields and diamond skies in keeping with the inaugural theme, A Tribute to the Beatles in Film. The preeminent Beatles tribute band, BritBeat, headlined the evening, joined by various other entertainers, including DJ Lockstar, Bashiri Asad, Rebecca Rafla, and the DysFUNKtion Brass Band, as well as an an acrobat aerialist who poured champagne from above. Awardwinning screenwriter and producer Angelo Pizzo was honorary chair of the event, which raised over $250,000 for Heartland Film.

1) Chris Bertolini, Anna Bertolini, Claudio Bertolini 2) Jeff Sparks, Arlene Grande 3) Katie Lory, Brian Lory 4) John Dewey, Kimberly Dewey 5) Laura Booker, Robin Long 6) Sandra Daly, Michael Ault, Kevin Daly 7) Robert Paul Chan, Frank Basile, Katrina Basile, Virgil Chan 8) Ted Givens, Terina Perry 9) Russell Cameron, Molli Cameron 10) Brian Wilkes, Gigi Wilkes 11) Angelo Pizzo, Bobbi Bowden

Photographed

Pauszek

by Amy Pauszek

BALLET AND BASTILLE

Indiana Ballet Conservatory (IBC) welcomed friends from The Indianapolis Opera and Carmel Symphony Orchestra to their fundraiser and celebration at the home of board members Ryan and Amy Wright for Ballet & Bastille: The White Party, held on July 14. Guests were treated to live music and entertainment by pianist Lillie Levina De Hernandez, performing artist Melissa Schott, the elite dancers of IBC, a real-time painting by the artist Beth Clary Schwier, and fireworks that lit up the night sky. The pièce de resistance was when Mr. Nutcracker made a special appearance to remind everyone to secure their Nutcracker tickets for Carmel’s beloved tradition at The Palladium.

1) Chris Lingner, Muniver Singh, Camille Nicodemus 2) Kimann Schultz, Linda Conti, Annemarie Hensley 3) Jeffrey Brickmann, Michael Schaefer 4) Alyona Yakovleva, Sergey Sergiev, Rick Griskie 5) Virginia Mills, Fred Mills 6) James Leinauer, Justin Hamilton 7) Cathy Clark, Elaine Mordoh, Scott Skillman 8) Catherine Keegan Michael, Jared Michael, Ken Roney 9) Eric Rochford, Kaiti Rochford 10) Muniver Singh, Beth Clary Schwier

Photographed

BOCCA WINE DINNER

Photographed by Emily Poe

1) Ana Ortez, Lauren Ortez, Alex Gray 2) Jennifer Cohen, Nicole Grove 3) Hope Oaks, Tara Sciscoe 4) Kara Husted, Jamie Smith 5) Anna Cage, Sapna Kirk 6) Neelam Evans, Teresa Reynolds 7) Opeyemi Akanni, Titi Bolomope 8) Jazmine Peterson, Zoë Hayes, Aubree Elston, Paz Ongley, Andrew Popp, Dan Cage

Thirty guests gathered at Bocca in Indianapolis on June 18 for the Albert Bichot French Wine Dinner. The event featured wines from Domaines Albert Bichot and was hosted by Jules Martin, regional manager of Domaines Bichot, as well as Pax Ongley, executive chef of Bocca’s sister restaurant, Nowhere Special.

The Agency Indy is thrilled to announce our partnership with BAGI for this year’s premier Home A Rama show. Featuring an exquisite home crafted by Wedgewood Building Company for our discerning clients, this showcase highlights the perfect blend of luxury and innovation. Step inside our featured property and experience the unparalleled quality and vision that defines The Agency Indy. Join us at Home A Rama to see how we turn dreams into addresses!

Elevating Confidence Through Passionate Care

Dr. Emily Hrisomalos is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon who specializes in reconstructive and cosmetic procedures for the face and neck. Dr. Hrisomalos believes that aesthetic care should leave patients feeling beautifully refreshed and rejuvenated, and she combines her extensive clinical expertise with her refined artistic sensibilities to deliver elegant, natural-looking results.